Corrections
by saye0036
Summary: Skyfall redone. What ever happened to the old Q? James Bond realizes that the most important Bond girl has been sitting across a desk from him for years.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Q had always loved her from afar.

Q as he is known now, met her in the 1960s. Walking the corridors of work with an arm full of supplies off to some meeting or another. As with most that work for this particular branch of the government they acknowledged each other with a friendly smile and a tilt of the head.

Q was drawn to her immediately, she was a petit woman with lovely blond hair, the deepest blue eyes and a curvy figure. It seemed that only half of the men that observed her took a second look. Those men Q considered intelligent and dangerous, the spies always took a second glance. They were trained to observe and the 00's always looked twice. She did not possess conventional magazine model beauty but to him she was an etherial angel.

She was never a field agent. Q thought that she may have wanted to be a field agent but the office was in more need of her technical excellence. Q was secretly happy that she never went out into the field. Although, he often fantasized about the two of them going out in the field together and romanticized about the adventures that they could have...but he was a scientist not an agent.

Q was a shy man and methodical in everything he did. A technical and scientific mind, he had difficulty in social situations. This did not bode well for courting the lady of his dreams. Q observed other women in the office. They were obvious and blatant in their quest for sexual conquests. It was like watching a territorial hunt for future mates or husbands.

The secretarial pool drooled over every 00 they saw but she never seemed to take more than a cursory glance at them. She was busy with accounts and strategy manoeuvres. That is what drove her and she was smart and ambitious in her dealings with her supervisors.

For a female, advancing in MI6 was fraught with hazards. Some department heads would grope and badger their female underlings, using position of power to garner sexual favours.

The internal gossip about this never touched her nor was she mentioned in a negative way other than in degrees of cool to frigid. She danced a graceful line through their testosterone driven world, proving her worth without having to compromise her virtue.

This enthralled him even more...but there was a man in her life already.

Q attempted to spend as much work time with her as he could to work up the nerve to ask her out.

It was a rainy Tuesday when he sat with her in the lunch room and he noticed the ring.

Q's world came tumbling down around him as her smile lit up when she spoke of him...

It was enough to drive him to leave his work but he couldn't. Even a glimpse of her would sustain him...a smile a shared lunch...she had no idea.

Once she introduced him to a new employee as her friend...he died a little.

She got promoted to Hong Kong. She was gone for a decade but she did remain in contact with him and even sent him Christmas cards from herself and Nigel.

Q had looked into her husband just to make sure he was a decent bloke...and damn and blast...he was.

They had two lovely children and she kept working on what he could only guess was her perfect life while he created toys that protect, maim and kill.

She came back to command the organization in the mid 1990s and he became the head of Q division.

They were now middle aged.

They shared tea on occasion and had meetings for work a few times a week but more if there was a crisis. It seems morally wrong but he alway loved the intensity of being around her in a crisis. Even if it meant death and destruction around the world or at home in Britain.

Since her return, he thought of his work as being for _her_ not for the Empire any more. The Empire was gone but the two of them remained and remembered.

Even in her sixties she was stunningly beautiful. Q often wondered if the secretaries that were flamboyantly and pretty in the seventies had aged as gracefully as she had.

Then it happened...Nigel died.

Q sent his condolences and went to the funeral.

Q relished the quick hug she gave him after the service.

They shared a strange bond of being acquainted for so long.

It was time to start his plan...he would win her love by taking away time.

Q knew that all the years of her marriage could be erased...not from her memory but from the physical body.

Yes, Q had spent the last 40 years working on the fountain of youth in his spare time.

Q had taken their blood samples years ago and now these DNA samples were a snap shot into their past. This is how Q synthesized his serum and how he would change them back to what they were then.

Q wanted to win her for himself but he wanted a lifetime with her not just the few aged years that were left to them.

Q wanted it all...he wanted a life with her.

Even if he had not said it aloud in years, Q was one of only a few people that knew M's real name.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Q had everything prepared and could begin on the weekend. Q's plan was to use the serum on himself as a test. Then and only then would he use it on M.

He finalized his mental check list and...

"Beep...beep...beep"

"What was that infernal beeping?"

Oh...an internal alarm in the MI6 system...an attempted breach.

Attention now diverted back to his job he isolated an external attempt to hack the system. This one delved deeper than the usual attempts of the Chinese or Middle Eastern hackers but to no avail.

They had some extremely talented young technical masterminds at Q branch.

"Beep...beep..beep"

"Again?"

He hit his intercom "What is going on…REPORT!"

A young man with ridiculously careless hair and glasses came over to his work area with a pad and showed him another more focused attempt to hack in to some specific files.

Q alerted M's office.

Q's phone rang. "Yes, Ah Mr. Tanner….Yes,Yes we will be up immediately."

"You, their...come on we have to go up top."

"Yes, sir!" The young man fidgeted nervously.

M was seated behind her desk and Tanner stood beside her as they entered.

She looked up and with a slight smile. "What has happened?"

Q took the lead and began the report as he ushered the young man forward with the pad and pointed at the display wall in M's office.

While he got the information on the monitors in her office, Q took a moment look at her...just because he could.

"We have detected and intervened two attempted hacks into our system. The first was completely deflected but the second delved deeper into the system towards more specific information."

"What information?"

"It seems like personnel files but there is other information we have to sift through. It is a security sensitive area and require your clearance as well as mine."

"Very well, you will have it. I can't give you blanket clearance for everything so how should we proceed?"

"Ma'am...maybe Q could isolate the information on a lap top and then it would be for your eyes only so to speak." Tanner said while looking at the young man with the mopish hair operating the display.

Q looked at Tanner and nodded his consent "Yes...quite. I will get on it now."

Tanner handed Q a laptop and he turned to the boy and held out his hand for the pad.

"You can go now." Q said.

The youth fled the office as if on his hair was on fire.

M shrugged her shoulders and looked at Q and Tanner "I will never understand the fashion of the youth of today."

Tanner chuckled and turned to leave the two alone to finish the task. "If that is all M I would like to leave for the night."

M waved at Tanner dismissively. "Yes…yes, I will see you tomorrow Mr Tanner."

Q needed to download the information to the laptop from the deluge of files in the mainframe. He entered his security code and then stood close behind her chair while he showed her what the information was and it prompted her to enter her own code. He politely turned to give her privacy even though she had not asked him to.

Q relished the smell of her perfume and his close proximity while they waited for the information to transfer.

When done, she sighed and looked at the time. It was half six already.

He saw this and decided to risk it.

"It is getting late...have you had dinner?"

"No, not yet"

"Would you like to get a bite?"

M paused and smiled at him. "Yes, I think that would be nice."

Q's old heart leaped. "Good then, shall we?"

M walked across the room to grab her coat and bag. He powered off the laptop and placed it in a bag.

M pointed to the floor. "Oh you can just leave that on the floor by Tanner's desk and we will see to it tomorrow."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The dinner was delightful. Her driver /bodyguard remained parked in the car outside the bistro. Q felt empowered by the certainty of his plan.

They made small talk, laughed about the good old days and he told her he wanted to retire and that he had been in love with her since they had met.

Q had completely shocked her.

In the end she had agreed to his retirement and took his advice on his replacement. He would stop being Q within two months.

M seemed to be slightly embarrassed by his second admission. Of course she was graceful in her shock. It did not seem to make her uncomfortable with the rest of their conversation.

Q asked her to dine with him again sometime and grasped her tiny delicate hand and said with a smile "Please no retirement party. I beg of you."

M laughed and promised no party and she would think about the dinner date.

Q thought that things looked promising and went home with a broad grin on his face.

How was he to know that all hell was about to let loose.

The computer was stolen in the night by the cleaning crew and know one new if it was just a petty theft or something bigger was happening.

Q branch was tracking the computer and the minute it left the country things escalated.

Ronson was closest and 007 was sent to help retrieve the computer or destroy it.

By Friday of that week Q had helped all he could and Ronson and Bond were dead, or missing presumed dead from friendly fire.

Q had liked both the 00's, Bond was a pain in the ass, but he would miss him.

There was an intense sadness at work as a result.

M took it very hard. She cared a lot about the collateral damage that sometime occurred in this type of work. Outwardly she seemed cold but he could tell she was barely sleeping.

Q took her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze when she came to his office for an update.

"I decrypted the files with the help of our well coifed young man and it was a list of all NATO imbedded agents in Al-Qaeda. I wish I had better news but it will take whoever did this a long time to hack into it unless they are a technical prodigy like we have in the next room."

M just looked at him and sighed. "You picked the right time to leave...I will be out the door next if we can't get this fixed fast. No,…no... I am not blaming you it was not you're doing. What makes it worse is that Bond rampaged through a national monument causing an international incident, again!"

M could not help herself as she paced his office. M needed to release a rant to someone who would be sympathetic. Her husband was gone and she had no peers that she could unload to and Q had the security clearance to hear it. It helped that she knew how he felt about her now and it made it easier for her to open up this way.

After M had gotten over the initial shock of his declaration of affection, she reanalyzed all her past dealings with Q. There were no outward signs of his affection for her. Q could have been an undercover agent all along.

Q was a technical genius but not comfortable socially. One thing was certain, Q was apparently very good at hiding things.

M could not think of any sign that he felt that way about her, but then again she hadn't been looking.

The loss of two agents was as staggering as the loss of the computer. M had already been to see the PM twice. Needless to say the Prime Minister was not happy and he was creating an oversight committee to deal with the situation.

M left Q's office and promised to go to dinner with him at 7 this evening.

M headed to her own office to have a tea and try to sort out this mess…God she still had to write Bond's obituary.

M had already written Ronson's but she was stalling as long as possible on Bond's.

Bond had that annoying ability to get under her skin. He positively oozed bravado and charm. M hated that type of man. In reality she felt she actually hated herself for being attracted to that kind of man.

M had to help guide Bond more than some of the other agents but he had never let her down, until now.

Bond pushed M to the limits of trust in the past but in the end it was M that let him down.

M had to let another agent take the shot but it was her call.

Regret is unprofessional.

It sadly reminded M of another agent she knew in Hong Kong. M had tried to be a guiding force in his life but he took it too far. Tiago Rodriguez …

Rodriguez was like Bond in some ways. Tiago had alway pushed her too, but unlike Bond, M knew he wanted her in a more primal, physical way. M had been a lot younger then.

M felt shivers climb up her spine. M whispered to herself..."like someone walking on my grave…"

Bond would never look at her in the way he had, he wouldn't dare. Bond had more respect for her and for the job.

Some men were drawn to a women in a position of power. M had been cornered by her share of politicians and agency men. She was a woman in a mans world being initiated into the old boys club. One had to dodge a few hands and stay strong for them to respect you.

Very few did not take the hint and tried to harass her more than once.

M knew that her unofficial title was "Ice queen" or even the "evil queen of numbers" when she first became M.

It had been a while since anyone had tried anything with her...until Q.

M would allow herself to enjoy dinner and try to not think about work. The mess would still be there in the morning and hopefully so would the agents on the list.

Later that evening when M went home to her quiet, empty house and she expected to see him.

M imagined he would be drinking her Scotch and looking through her computer...if only.

M missed him more than she should...she knew she shouldn't but she did.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Bond was comfortably numb for the moment. Amazing what pills, booze and sex will do for you.

It doesn't heal everything...

Her voice still ringing in his ear. "take the bloody shot!"

Damn it!

He swore he would stop thinking about her. "Bitch!"

The woman sleeping beside him stirred. He stared out the dark window as the curtain blew in the ocean breeze.

No matter how numb he was M always invaded his thoughts.

The verbal sparing matches that they bantered back and forth during their meetings were one of the best parts of his job.

Now he hoped she was...what?

Horrified, sad, despondent...No...Not bloody likely, her and her damn stiff upper lip.

Did she stand silent after the order to shoot him and...What?

Did she shed any tears for what she did to him?

He barley observed a difference in her professional demeanour when her damn husband died.

Until the train fight he always found her voice reassuring when she personally oversaw his missions.

He liked her voice. It was why he tried to get her going all the time.

Breaking into her flat flirting shamelessly in front of Tanner and anyone else within hearing distance.

When did his feeling about **her** separate from the feelings he had for the job?

Excitement, money, cars, women...no girls they were all girls compared to...when did he stop thinking of Vespa and replace her with M.

After that bastard tried to kill her...that's when.

She was worried he was going rogue to punish them for Vespa…ha that was rich.

What Vespa had done hurt his pride. It was an act that he fell for because he had wanted and needed to feel loved at the time. Vespa had been a bloody good actress for Quantum, nothing more.

What they had tried to do to M had incensed him. It was an attack on the personification of Britain and all it stood for, honour, history, empire...christ they might as well attack the Queen, it was the same bloody thing.

She had groomed and trusted him to become the best 00 and Vespa was a lying traitor.

M would lie for Queen and country but she could never be a traitor. It went against every moral fibre of her being.

With women, age had never been much of an issue for him but M had a good 30 years on him.

Still, she was a damn fine woman. Bond had spied her at a few government functions over the years and she could still turn heads and not just because she was the head of MI6.

It was the way she carried herself, who she was not what she was.

Bond had sneaked a peak at the photos in her flat, of when she was younger. M's husband had been a lucky, lucky man.

Why was she allowed to lead a life like that?

Why was he denied that life that he had hoped to have with Vespa?

Was this job worth the heart ache, the longing for the life M had with her husband.

Bond admitted to himself that he was jealous.

Well, he would let her stew until he felt like returning.

Bond hopes she can't sleep because of him.

After all he keeps loosing sleep over her.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Q is exhausted but relived that his experiment was working. Two days had passed since he injected himself with his personal youth code.

It had been very painful for the first 24 hours. He spent the entire time in bed sweating profusely through the muscle spasms. He didn't want to take medications to dull the pain, he needed to be as alert as possible.

On day five he was confident enough to venture out to see M. Q knew where she lived and would just wait in her flat for her to return home.

The security system was easy for Q to override...he would have to have mention it to her and have that looked into by Q banch. It wouldn't do for the head of MI6 to have such a shoddy system…anyone could break in.

M came home by around 8 pm, exhausted and fed up with work. The bloody government was acting as if she had personally sent out invitations and planned this disaster.

M unlocked the door and placed her bag and coat down. Someone was there...

"Q? What are you doing here? I thought you were sick...what is wrong with you?"

M noticed that his hair was thicker and darker than it had been in years.

Q walked towards her holding a syringe in his right hand.

"It worked! Just as I planned...I have yours right here."

M moved away from him as approached. "What do you bloody well think you are going to do with that!"

"I am going to make you young again."

Q said this with a calmness that unnerved her even more. Never before had she felt threatened by this man, but now she had backed herself up against the wall trying to think of an escape.

Q saw her shrink up against the wall. "I don't want to hurt you but I won't lie, it will hurt for the first 24 hours or so and then you will see a dramatic difference. I mean look at me, I feel stronger and better than I have in so long."

"And what if I don't want it?" M said trying to stay calm and move carefully towards her bag and her cell phone.

Q paused. "I never thought about that...I assumed you would want to...I mean who wouldn't?"

Q saw her head for her bag and when she reached out to grab it he moved and grabbed her arm, quickly injecting her.

"Damn it Q! What makes you think you have the right to do that! I could have you killed for just being in my home uninvited…. never mind injecting me with whatever drug you just used on me. Now step out of my way while I call 6 and get medical here to stop...whatever...is happi…nning."

Q swept her up in his arms and started carrying her upstairs. M's eyes were still trying to focus on his face.

"Don't worry M. I've got you and will contact work to tell them you are sick. I am sure that Tanner can manage work for a few days. I mixed it with a sedative for the pain and that is what is making you sleepy."

By the time Q reached her room she was out cold.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

M felt like she had been asleep for days. Her mouth was so very dry and her head was pounding. Every muscle in her body ached, worse than normal. She was in her bed and in pyjamas. She did not remember much. The door opened and Q stepped in with a glass of Ice water.

"Ah so sleeping beauty awakes. Here you will need to drink this. I will get you more if you need it."

M grabbed the glass and drank it quickly. "What the hell Q? What day is it? What time is it? DID YOU DISROBE ME! I WILL FIRE YOU FOR THIS!"

"Calm down M and get up slowly." Q said trying desperately to calm her tirade.

M got up and took tentative steps towards her bath. Q moved to help her but she put a warning hand up and shot him a look that could melt the polar ice caps.

She took the empty glass with her and closed and locked the door upon entering. After relieving herself she went directly to the shower to wash up. She felt sweaty and somewhat defiled after...whatever had happened, she hoped that he hadn't...he wouldn't dare...he better be gone from her room when she got finished or she would...what?

M's head was spinning with the effects of the drugs and her intense anger at the complete violation of it all.

In the shower she began to take notice of changes in her body. She was firmer and even taller. She washed quickly and got out to go to the mirror.

"My God! What has he done..."

M's short cropped hair was less white and more blonde that it had been in years. The lines on her skin were less. She looked about the same as she had 20 years ago, when she had first become M.

She looked around the bath but her dressing gown was in her room on the bed likely. To hell with decency the bastard had already stripped her down and put on her sleeping clothes.

Q was waiting for her to come back into the room. He had the second injection ready and in his hand slightly behind his back.

She entered wrapped in a bath towel only…she shot him a look at him that dared him to move.

"M the effects are amazing you look beautiful...20 years younger...the effects of the first dose."

"What do you mean first dose?"

M asked as she wrapped her dressing gown around her body allowing the towel to fall to the floor.

"There is one more but it will hurt less and will gradually continue the youth process to take away hopefully another 20 years. Everyday you will notice the changes. I have a five-day head start on you but the side effects have decreased."

M sat on the bed and put her head in her hands. "You know I will have to have you arrested for this right...I mean what were you thinking? You tell me you have had a crush on me for 40 years, we go to dinner twice and you jump right to scientific experimentation on me as a third date!"

Q moved to her slowly and got on his knees so that he was level with her and hopefully less threatening, then spoke quickly.

"I was going to wait for permission and our relationship to evolve but then the hard drive disaster at work came up. It will be better for you to retire with me to the Bahamas than to stay here and deal with the political aftermath. I know you will have to give a months notice and people at work will question our appearance but I think we can explain that we have been given a top-secret mission that required a certain amount of plastic surgery."

M looked directly into his eyes and thought that he seemed rational even though this was the most insane thing she had ever heard.

"You will not inject me with anything else and I will never go away with you after this. Whatever chance you thought you had to woo me died with this violation Q."

Q clamped a hand on her knee and quickly brought the other injection from behind his back and pushed it into her thigh.

M's eyes opened wide in shock. "WHAT THE HELL, Q! I SAID NO!" M pushed Q over and ran for the door. She ran down the hall and grabbed her phone. She pressed her emergency contact number and ran down the hall to the study and slammed the door before Q could reach her again.

"TANNER I NEED YOU AT MY HOME NOW! Q has attacked me and he is to be arrested and taken to base. Have Q division change all the codes so that he cannot gain access to any systems remotely or from the office."

Q pounded on the door. "M, I am so sorry...I thought it would make you happy."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Tanner was in complete shock, on the line he could hear Q through M's cell phone. M hung up and he went to work, calling for a team as he ran down the hall to get to a car and to M.

During the ride to M's he nervously thought about what she had said and what _attacked_ could mean.

God Q could not have possibly...

The two vehicles made it within 15 minutes.

Tanner took the stairs two at a time and tried the door. It was open and inside a man was on his knees with his hands behind his head in surrender. The men he brought with him quickly handcuffed him and pulled him to his feet.

"Q?...Is that you?"

Tanner stared at him with a puzzled look on his face. The man looked like Q, only a younger version of the man Tanner knew.

"What have you done to M?...Where is she?"

"She is upstairs." Q said dejectedly.

Tanner had two of men take him back to base and told the other to stay by the door while he got M. Tanner climbed the stairs and heard M mumbling.

"Shit!…Damn…Stupid...argh..."

"M, you all right?" Tanner reached the door that was open a crack and pushed it open. His mouth hung open as he stared at a woman who looked like M but younger and desperately trying to get a skirt to stop sliding down her slip. Her ill-fitting blouse was billowing open and she was trying to look for something.

"Tanner, Q surrendered peacefully I assume...arghh that man!"

The minute Tanner heard her speak he knew it was her.

"M what happened here?"

"Two days ago, he was here when I came home and he injected me with a drug that made me like this."

She motioned up and down her torso. "He used it on himself first, as you must have noticed. I do not know how long it will last or if it will wear off at all. DAMN nothing fits! Help me find a belt or my skirt will be falling all day."

Tanner moved to the closet to try to help. "How did this happen…I mean…It is amazing...you look…"

"What…what do I look like Mr. Tanner and do please remember as you answer that question that I am your boss."

"You look good Ma'am. Your right about the skirt, maybe a dress would fit better?"

"Good idea Tanner, hand me that blue one there. It was always a bit tight."

Tanner grabbed the dress and M let the skirt hit the floor and began unbuttoning her blouse.

Tanner swallowed hard getting somewhat uncomfortable in her presence with her in nothing more than an ill-fitting bra and a slip. He handed her the dress and she climbed into it and turned around.

"Give me a hand and zip will you Tanner."

Tanner cautiously stepped forward and did as commanded.

M turned back around and looked at him in his obvious discomfort. It made her smile a bit realizing that she had made him feel uncomfortable. M felt how his hands were trembling as he zipped her up.

"Thank you Tanner, I know that is above and beyond...does it look good enough for the day at least?"

Tanner blushing slightly nodded yes.

"Tanner surly you have zipped a woman up before and it wasn't that bad was it?" M said with a smirk.

M had tried to avoid looking in the mirror much since she woke but physically she could definitely feel a difference and if Tanners reaction was any indication she was not dreaming and she actually was younger.

Tanner cleared his throat and said. "No, ma'am everything is good, shall we go."

They left the house and headed back to the office. As Tanner drove he gave her a few updates as he tried his best not to stare at her and kept his attention on the road.

"Tanner, I need you to question Q. I don't think Q did it maliciously. Q claims that he is well...in love with me."

Tanner turned with a shocked look on his face. "Really?...So the attack...I mean...did he...take liberties ma'am?"

M's eyes went wide and she wrung her hands. "No,...I mean I don't think so...I was unconscious for two days...medical will be able to tell me more."

"This is between the three of us and medical now Tanner, I want to keep this as contained as possible."

"M everyone will see you and know that something major has happened. What do we tell the staff and the Prime Minister's office?"

"I have been thinking about that Tanner and Q gave me the answer earlier. What if you started a little rumour for me around the office? I was thinking that there is a special project for Q and myself, before his retirement and major plastic surgery to make us unrecognizable."

Tanner nodded. "That is a lot more believable than having discovered the fountain of youth. I will whisper into a few ears as soon as we get back and then go visit Q in lock up. I assume medical will want to look at him also."

"Yes, they will. If you feel that he is telling the truth...then release him and get him on a plane to Bahamas will you."

"Bahamas?" Tanner asked.

"Yes, after the doctors see to him and he is not to return to Britain while I am alive."

M placed her fingers to massage her temples attempting to will the lingering effects of the drug and head ache away.

"I suppose his plans were for the two of us to retire and live out our days on the beach."

M stared out the window at the streets of London as they passed.

"I guess that with my current predicament he felt they would push me into retirement and I don't think that he is wrong...ironically they cannot use the excuse that I am too old now will they."

Tanner just sighed and said. "I wasn't going to bring this up now but the advisory committee head, Gareth Mallory...he has requested an appointment with you ASAP."

"I was expecting this but I don't think Mr. Mallory will be expecting me. What an incredible shock he is in for. I can hear it now…_Oh, M you have been a rock for the department all these years and you've had a good run, here have a gold watch…_bastards!_"_ After all she had accomplished...and what was still left to do.

"Maybe this… bizarre change is good for something. It may help me keep my job, even if it is just until this problem gets solved."

Tanner nodded and tried not to keep looking at her but it was just so strange, like something out of a science fiction novel.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

M went to medical immediately. Needless to say the doctors, amazed by M's appearance took every test imaginable. Q had not assaulted her. M did believe that he would be capable of such a thing anyway.

Tanner arrived with the update on Q. "There was no other reason but that he wanted to help you and share a life with you M. He is very apologetic ma'am and he wants to talk to you before he begins with medical and we ship him off to the Bahamas."

M and Tanner left and headed to the cell where Q was being kept.

Q stood when he saw them and the guard opened the door to let the two of them in.

Q stared at Tanner but before he could say anything.

Tanner blurted "If you think I am leaving her alone with you, you have really become deluded, Q."

Tanner's intense outburst shocked Q and surprised M.

Tanner could not help to think that Q was a mad man for what he had done to M.

The overall effect was amazing, but it was such a violation of trust.

Q nodded and looked at M. "I am so sorry that you do not feel the way I do. I thought that you would thrilled with the results. I...I never thought that you would think of it as an assault...I would never do anything like that to you...you know how I feel about you."

"Q, medical assures me that you did nothing more to me than the injection. Oh and they want to talk with you at length about it. I do not want this drug to escape the two of us. So for payment for what you have done you will submit to their tests but tell them nothing about your formula. You are to spend your retirement, with full pension for your service, in the Bahamas and you will not return to Britain while I am here. Do you understand?"

"Yes, M. I understand." Q bowed his head in disgrace.

M promptly turned and exited the cell with Tanner close on her heels.

Tanner did as M asked and started a rumour about her weekend surgery. Tanner could not believe that anyone would be stupid enough to fall for it. M was younger in every way. M was taller and far firmer than just a few days before. The image of her in almost nothing continued to linger in his mind.

The rumour mill had done its job everyone at MI6 and the administration were abuzz with the story. M had waited only a day before the PM's office called for a meeting.

M explained to the PM that she had made the personal decision to have plastic surgery. M hated having people believe that she was vain enough to think that she needed a youthful appearance to do her job. It was as exasperating as all the sly glances and whispers at work.

M had to have an uncomfortable phone conversation with her children about her change in appearance. Thank god they did not live in London anymore and did not rush to come see her.

The second shot that Q administered was doing its work in a more gradual way. It was not as painful and manifested mainly in an annoying headache that caused her to lash out at people.

Tanner, working so near to her took the brunt of her frustrations.

M was not enjoying the way people were staring at her. She could only imagine the conversations they were having about her _surgeries_, they likely think that she had lost her bloody mind. Who gets plastic surgery after letting themselves age naturally for over 70 years?

Tanner, for his part spends much of his time looking at a her as if waiting for something even crazier to happen. At least that is what she hoped his reasons were. Tanner was truly very concerned about any odd possible side effects she may have while at the office. It was a relief to her that someone cared about her a little.

Medically, M's organs were aging in reverse also. The most unpleasant result of the change being that menopause had been reversed. M shook her head in disbelief and laughed somewhat hysterically at the Doctors when they told her she could have another child if she wanted. Imagine the expression on her children's faces, if she told them that they could have another brother or sister…what a cosmic joke.

M had carefully crafted a heartless bitch persona to deal with the realities of working in a male dominated government special branch. Now she was no better than any Hollywood star that wanted to hide from the dreaded effects of time and gravity.

It was just somewhat amusing that the plastic surgery excuse worked. After all no one would believe that she was actually aging in reverse.

The doctors decided on a physical fitness routine that she would do daily with a trainer and occasionally the medical staff in observation. Medical suggested this as part of their ongoing tests to see what was happening to her internally and if what happened would slow down as Q had suggested.

M was noticing the effects and she was getting fitter all the time. M began basic agent training as part of her daily routine. It was more than likely that M would be forced out of command so what else was there to lose?

Emotionally M had ups and downs adjusting to her new life and her newfound natural hormonal imbalances…poor Tanner…he was on the front lines so to speak.

One particularly stressful and depressing day M was in her office lamenting the loss of her husband, missing all the support he had given her over the years.

M could not help but wonder how Nigel would have reacted to this change. The thought made her laugh but the laughing quickly turned to tears of remorse and loss. She felt so very alone and completely unsure of herself.

Self doubt in this job could be fatal not just for herself but for agents in the field. How could she do the job that she needed to do while feeling this lost?

M took mental stock of herself and calmed her emotions. M made the conscious decision that she would act as if absolutely nothing had changed. It was the only way to keep her sanity at this point. _Keep Calm and Carry On._

M finally, sadly wrote Bond's obituary.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Gareth Mallory had been to see the Prime Minister about the security breach at MI6. Mallory would be meeting with M soon. Apparently the woman had gone and had plastic surgery to ward off the spectre of age and avoid the inevitable retirement planing that he had painstakingly begun on her behalf. The PM had basically assured him of the position if he could make the stubborn woman step down.

Mallory studied everything about M that he could. She had an impressive record and had lost her husband within the last year. Honestly he was a bit nervous about the meeting. M's reputation as a no-nonsense icy _bitch_ preceded her and he did after all have to give her bad news.

The next few weeks passed and M was on her way to meet with Gareth Mallory with Tanner on a typical rainy day. The weather of late was echoing her moods, grey and brutal.

Mallory gives her a glass of Scotch and sits with her. "Ah..I don't know where to begin, upon meeting you."

M cool states, "Why don't you start with why I am here when I could be working."

"M, there is an official public oversight committee planned about your position in MI6. I was going to mention that you have had an extremely long tenure as head of your department and that retirement is about due. With full honours, GCMG. However, you sit across from me looking fit and younger than myself, when according to your file you are 76 years old. Now, quite honestly all I really want to know is what's your secret M."

"Mr. Mallory, that is between myself and my medical staff. As for retirement, I plan to stay until this problems solved. I will not have this incident sully my record and legacy."

"M you have to understand that the freedom to information act makes a public forum necessary to account for what was lost. We are accountable to the people we serve."

"Oh, I understand it but I also come from the era where loose lips sunk ships and sometimes bad things had to happen for the good of the many. I suppose that you are my replacement and that is why you really invited me here. You want to try to guilt the little old lady out of her job in disgrace."

"M that is not the case and I really do want to have an easy transition period. I do hope that we can get along and perhaps even become friends. In fact it is lunch time now would you care to go with me for a nice meal?"

M is slightly taken aback by the request but nodded. "Alright, I think that would be agreeable but no more retirement talk Mr. Mallory. After all judging by your appearance you should still have a few good years left to you." M smirked.

M got up and gathered her things as Mallory gathered his own smiling at her jib about his age. "M, I will meet you in the hall, I just have to drop this with Jenny."

"All right Mr. Mallory but it is not nice to keep your elders waiting."

"I promise,five minutes maximum ma'am."

Mallory shook his head as she left he room. M was an impressive woman, very beautiful in fact. Matching wits with her was like dogging incoming fire. The PM had neglected to warn him about that. To get to her position he supposed she would have to present a very tough exterior. Many tossed around the bitch term with women in power positions but he found her intriguing.

M proceeded out into the hall and met a waiting Tanner. "Mr. Tanner change my schedule to allow for lunch with Mr. Mallory and go get lunch yourself. I will meet you back here within 90 minutes I will text you if done sooner."

"Yes, ma'am, I will see you later." Tanner used his phone to change M's schedule and headed out of the building slightly concerned about this turn of events.

M stood in the hall waiting for Mallory when an attractive middle-aged gentleman approached her.

"Hello there, what is a lovely lady like yourself doing standing here all alone. Are you lost? I can give you a guided tour, behind the scenes if you would like." He said with a leer, a wink and a wicked grin.

M stood up as straight as her diminutive frame could and glared at the man. She was about to open her mouth when a hand settled on the small of her back.

Mr. Mallory staked his claim on her and started speaking to the unidentified man. "Ah, there you are M… Hello Weston, how are you today?"

"Oh, Mallory, yes, fine...fine. Is this lovely lady here for you?" He said through somewhat clenched teeth.

M chose to interject at this obvious display of male dominance. "I represent MI6. Mr. Weston, is it? I am well acquainted with Whitehall and all her SECRETS, it goes with the job title."

Mr. Weston paled visibly when he realized that M was **_the M_** and excused himself quickly.

Mallory chuckled and looked at her. "You didn't have to terrify him."

"I am what I am Mr. Mallory and for the last 20 years I have terrorized the globe on behalf of Britain. Who was that odious man and what is he doing here anyway? Does he just troll the halls for unaccompanied women?"

"Yes, you could say he does. Very scandalous divorce in progress...notorious philanderer. He is always with an extremely attractive woman on his arm, hence the divorce."

"Must be a slow day if he is accosting me." M said with a smile as they left the building and got in the car.

"Really, M? Is it that you forget what you look like or are you playing at demure?"

M looked carefully at Mallory wondering..."What do you mean?"

Mallory shook his head. "You are a very intelligent woman. Do you simply refuse to acknowledge that you are a beautiful woman too or just that any man would be interested in you? I mean I could picture you staring down a bear and not flinch and I just met you. I'm surprised he picked on you honestly, you give off the vibe of someone who takes crap from no one. Weston's type of companions are usually the young social-climbing government hangers-on."

M smiled and shook her head. "Years of practice Mr. Mallory, I have to portray cold and tough, it is expected that the head of MI6 be strong. As for Weston's blatant pick up attempt, I never craved that type of attention from men in my youth. The one man I wanted to notice, did and that was all that mattered."

Mallory exclaimed. "Your husband was a lucky man M."

The lunch is far more pleasant than M thought it would be. Mallory is a very straight forward man and M could see positive attributes in him as her replacement, even if she loathed to admit it. After lunch, Tanner and M discuss Gareth Mallory and his solid reputation in the government.

Tanner tells her that Mallory divorced 2 years ago. This was something he did not mention at their lunch and it made her wonder if the meal was more than just a friendly gesture.

Tanner received a call while on the drive back. There is another hack attacking MI6 in progress. They were speeding to get back to headquarters but emergency vehicles were blocking their way as they approached MI6. M got out of the car and within moments an explosion happened.

"LOOK ON YOUR SINS" appeared on her laptop in grotesque mockery of the situation.

Tanner looked at M as she whispered. "This is because of me?"

Tanner noticed a tear sliding down her cheek and he grasp her hand and squeezed, unable to put a voice to what he was feeling as he stared at her office that was no longer there.

This had to have something to do with the list but this was also personal. Whoever did this wanted her dead or wanted her to see it.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Bond's drinking at his usual place on the beach. The booze and the pills keep him foggy and that is far better than the pain and betrayal he feels sober.

CNN is visible through the mirror above the bar and there is and update about an explosion in London. He turns around and stands up, moving towards the TV on the wall. Bond watches a replay of M's office exploding and there is a sick feeling in his stomach.

The cob-webs clear from his mind as he watches for another update. "Eight confirmed dead" they announce. The explosion gets replayed again sticking the knife in even further.

Is she dead? Oh god! She...can't be.

Bond feels his heart constrict uncomfortably in his chest and he can hear the blood pounding in his ears. Bond leaves and never looks back, he has to find out if she is alive.

It is time to go home.

Exhausted, M climbs the stairs into her home after attending the service for the eight employees that perished in the explosion. Funerals are so emotionally draining. M had to keep her professional stoic face frozen in place for the sombre occasion. Do to the rather abrupt return of hormonal issues it had been difficult for her to not break down completely during the ceremony.

She flicks the hall light on and put her bag and coat down by the door, moving into the dinning area she froze. There is someone in the house. Someone, in the front room, by the window. M's heart starts pounding in her chest as she tries to remember her training. She watches the shadow by the window start to move. Without realizing what she is doing she starts to speak.

"NO..not again...Q stay away...I will have you killed this time!" She quickly turns back for the gun in her purse.

Bond is faster and grabs her, crossing her arms across her chest to immobilize her from behind. Bond is use to fast action decisions in threat situations and he knew she was trying for a weapon.

M panics and struggles against him.

Bond has too many questions at this point, the biggest one being who the hell is this woman. She smells of M's perfume and looks like M but _younger._

_"_Let me go!"

Once he hears her voice again he is positive it is her.

"M?...Its Bond, I am not going to hurt you, so stop struggling."

"BOND? LET ME GO THIS INSTANT...or do you not remember that you are dead!"

Bond releases her and she turns around and straightens her black dress. Her eyes are wild and her face, flushed by panic and anger.

God, she is so beautiful.

James Bond has been with countless women in his life but never has his heart felt such joy and relief. Gazing into the flashing blue of her extremely pissed off eyes... It makes him...feel...again.

"So did they finally run out of drink where you were Bond?"

Bond smirks and instantly switches back into their normal relationship, well normal for them anyway. The two of them are only comfortable snipping at each other, attack and fight it is what they did.

Bond began what he knew would be a verbal sparing that in its intensity, said everything about the two of them.

_I missed you and I will punish you for as long as I see fit!_

Bond had done it by staying away and now it's M's turn. It doesn't mean he has to make it easy for her and she would never respect him if he did.

"Just thought I would get away from it all. You should consider it M...it really adds perspective."

M gives a derisive snort " that was Q's plan but **not** mine, now look at me." She looks downright forlorn.

This is not the norm, nothing about this is normal. Where is the lioness? It is as if the fight has left her, he is as much shocked by her abrupt change in demeanour as by her appearance. James is looking at her intently and barely resisting the urge to go and wrap her in his arms for three reasons.

One, "Take the bloody shot!" still echoes in his head.

Two, she's his boss.

Three, she would kill him just for the mere sentiment of it.

"What happened to you?" Bond asked more softly.

"Q."

"What did Q do**_ exactly_**?" Bond remembers the panicked way she behaved when she realized she wasn't alone.

"I am not willing to go into that now and frankly it is above your pay grade 007. I tire of it, and all the strange glances…besides, you...YOU NEVER CALLED!" M looked about to burst into tears.

Bond is staring intently at her, as if his eyes were feasting on her with all the bitterness and anger he felt before melting away. He suddenly has this blasted uncomfortable feeling in his chest. Bond has so many questions but resists in asking due to the sad expression on her face.

M is in morning, the black dress and simple jewelry were the first clue. The funerals must have been today.

If Bond had only been less self-absorbed he might have realized before that M has actually been in morning for the last year. The house must seem so quiet to her now, she is missing half of her life, the half that he envies her for.

Bond broke into her last apartment mainly to show that he could and to piss her off, her husband had been there asleep. It had been a thrill to invade her world like that. The jealousy of what M has to come home to planted in his mind from that instant on.

"Ok, well I am back and ready to get back to work."

Bond still wanted to know what the hell happened. What did Q do to make M into her former self, a very beautiful blonde?

"Good, we need you. You need to go get cleaned up in more way than one." M's nose wrinkles from the smell of booze and grime surrounding him. Maybe a jab at his appearance would stop the uncomfortably strange way he is looking at her.

"Report tomorrow to Tanner and he will debrief you. You will have to pass all the tests. Including a psych evaluation, which you WILL NOT avoid."

"I guess I will go home and get ready..." Bond acknowledges that he is not at his best.

"Oh, we sold your flat and put everything in storage. It is standard procedure for an unmarried employee upon their demise...you should have called."

"I will get a hotel then." Bond pauses heading to the door and looks at her, giving her the chance to invite him to stay.

"Well, you're bloody well not staying here." M says without a pause.

At this moment Bond would like nothing better than to explore some feelings that have simmered just beneath the surface throughout his professional relationship with M. Bond senses that M's trust in him is very fragile at this moment so he doesn't push it.

Whatever Q did to her, has made her...timid. Tomorrow, Bond will find out what happened but it is unlikely sleep will come easily to him tonight after seeing her.

Bond smirks at her and opens the door as he pauses to drink up her presence before being kicked to the curb. In a less complicated world he could have tried to charm his way into staying the night.

Unfortunately, M is the only woman Bond knows that could never allow herself to enjoy what he has to offer and this only makes him want her more.

"Goodnight M." _I missed you too_ is left unsaid.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

M's in her office working when the call comes in that there is a visitor waiting for her. Mallory has decided to make a surprise visit.

"Mr. Mallory to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Mallory extends his hand a smiles at her. "Well, two reasons really. You've avoided my calls and I hear that a missing agent has returned from the dead."

M smiles and sits back in her chair. "Agent 007 returned last night and I have not been avoiding you. As you can imagine, I am very busy of late."

Mallory's eyebrows raise. "Bond returned last night, what time?"

"Around 21:00, I take it that the PM updated you?"

"Yes, he did. Bond called you as soon as he returned?"

"He reported to me directly as usual."

Mallory sighed and shook his head. "Where exactly did he report to you M? Surely you were not in the office that late. In fact, I took the liberty to speak to your driver on the way here, to ask when you went home last night...M I'm concerned about you overworking yourself."

M closes her eyes and takes a breath to centre herself. Damn it! She had stepped into his trap. How could she salvage this?

"Yes, well he presented himself to me at home." She deliberately stares him down daring him to find it inappropriate.

Mallory frowned. "Is this normal procedure for you and your agents?"

"No, of course not!"

"Well, M please explain why a loose cannon like James Bond has access to the head of MI6's home…Is it normal for him to do this?"

M shifts nervously in her chair trying to salvage anything of an excuse for Bond's behaviour.

"This is the second time Bond has done this. This is the first time in this particular home. Bond did it once during his first 00 mission, while my husband was still alive."

Mallory shook his head looking concerned. "You know that you should have had him fired the first time…Now, I know that Q broke into your home also and that is the reason he is now in the Bahamas and why you look like you just stepped out of a magazine…Oh…please don't try to deny it, really is the only logical explanation to your appearance and Q's rather abrupt departure."

Mallory has now placed M on the defensive. "Bond was too good an agent to waste and he has proven himself tenfold after the fact. As for Q, his motivation was…"

"Carnal…" Mallory interjected as he watched her face flush attractively. "Entirely too many of your employees know where you live and it is a security risk. Maybe you should have a bodyguard 24 hours a day."

M stands and leaned forward against her desk, irritation clearly evident . "Q Is a computer genius and 007 is a top spy, quite able to break in anywhere, as we trained him to do. There was no other motive on Bond's part other than immediately reporting to his superior and I have enough protection thank you very much."

"I am not putting you on trial M, I'm merely concerned for your well-being. Bond must have been quite shocked by your appearance."

"Everyone is." M whispers rather dejectedly.

Mallory got up from his chair and said. "I would like to have updates on Bond's training and testing if you wouldn't mind. I would also like to take you for dinner this week, perhaps the day I come back for Bond's evaluations?"

M wonders if Mallory is taking advantage of the fact he has caught her in an impropriety, as a way to leverage a date with her. "I will consider it Mr. Mallory."

M has her suspicions that Eve Moneypenny is informing Mallory on the goings on within the department. Moneypenny has not been happy about her desk duty since not quite killing Bond in Turkey.

M likes Eve and she can understand her ambition in supplying information to Mallory. He's likely to become the new head of the agency once the axe falls.

Mallory leaves her office with a smile on his face. He rather enjoyed getting one up on her. That he managed to work out that Bond had accosted her at her home had obviously shocked her. Mallory would have to watch this Bond very carefully.

M couldn't see it but she has a soft spot for this agent. M is not the type of woman who would ever put up with insubordination from anyone that works for her…except 007 it would seem. Mallory would not infer that they were lovers but…there may...be something...

Mallory is hoping to spend more time with M, she's a very intriguing woman and he very much enjoyed the lunch they shared. Mallory hasn't stop thinking about her and the amazing transformation that she has undergone. He's not stupid enough to believe that it had been surgically done…no…it most definitely has something to do with the former Q. 

Bond arrives at the new MI6, Churchill bunker accompanying Tanner to medical. They test Bond as he exercises and Tanner brings him up to speed on the events that he has missed in the two months since his death.

The events leading to M's transformation were difficult to pry out of Tanner but he eventually succeeds.

"Where is Q now?" Bond asks through clenched teeth, that are only partly caused by the sit ups he's doing.

Tanner looks cautiously around the room and lowers his voice. "Banished to the Bahamas, Q is to stay there for the rest of his life, which will be a lot longer now as his age is decreasing also. In total M will physically become 40 years younger that her real age within the next couple of weeks."

Bond looks at Tanner. "He may not have as long as he thinks if I happen to find him."

Tanner nods in approval. "She insisted he be left alone and all the data of what he did to them be destroyed."

Tanner also informs him about the oversight committee that is pinning her hands at the moment. Tanner also mentions a Mr. Mallory, the front-runner for M's job.

"What is this, Mallory like?" Bond asks.

"Ex-military, perfect record and good connections. Divorced, two children, no siblings and he keeps asking M out for dinner." Tanner adds the last bit just to watch Bond's reaction.

Tanner worries about M and Bond is a pain in the ass but he is also closer to M than any other agent. Tanner knows that Bond likes to break into her house and that she never does anything more than change the codes. Outwardly, one would never suspect M of playing favourites but Tanner knew if she did it was Bond.

Tanner was there to witness when Bond died M could barely even speak. Tanner's always admired M but that is far as it would ever go...he's more than a little frightened of her and although it would be thrilling being her lover...M would eat him for dinner...he would never recover... Bond and M have something else…not quite friends, not quite lovers as far as he knows.

Bond stops his push ups. "Really now...this is interesting, has she gone out with him?"

"Only once, on the day they met. He has called for her every other day like clockwork since. M has put him off until now but he will be here in a few days to watch your psych evaluation, then meet with you and M about the test results.

Mallory did surprise her with a visit this morning and he did...something...said something..to get her slightly off her game. I don't have the details on that meeting...yet."

Bond starts towelling off. "Oh, goody... I can't _**wait**_ to meet him. See you at the gym tomorrow morning."

Bond wants to get out of there to begin investigating Mallory and his plans are much more intrusive than a casual computer search. 

Mallory's home is nice considering he's single. It still has...that feminine touch. Mallory is straight, Bond deduces by his personal items and clothing. His old-fashioned answering machine does not containing anything too scandalous.

Mallory has a safe, likely for work. Going through his desk is not too enlightening, however his bedside table contains a surveillance photo of M taken recently.

This is disconcerting. There is only one type of photo a man keeps hidden in his night stand and it is usually pornographic. Anything proper, a family photo would be framed beside the bed. 

The next day Tanner and Bond enter the gym, however today they are not the only ones working out. One of the physical trainers is prompting M to do another set of reps with hand weights.

M has her natural arsenal of curves on display, much to Tanners admiration and Bond's amusement. Bond is particularly fond of M's back side and it seems obvious that Tanner is also.

Tanner and Bond are lucky that her back is to them or they would have been in her bad books more than usual. They turn to look at each other with the same amused expression, that they quickly correct as she turns around.

It is not every day you get to see the boss in very tight workout clothes but it does make it worth the trip into work today.

Tanner shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot. Bond levels his most dazzling smile in her direction.

Tanner clears his throat and Bond speaks up. "M, this is a new look for you."

Tanner coughs into his hand and shoots a glare at Bond.

"Really Bond, you of all people, often see women in this state of undress. It doesn't bother you does it?"

"No, of course not M. It will however, aid in the length and intensity of my workout. You know how men are..."

M, scoffs at his attempt at flirting. "I only know how to use men like you as blunt instruments, remember Bond."

"Oh I remember." Bond's hand goes to his shoulder where the metal shards continue to cause him pain.

M attempts to divert the conversation to something more neutral considering the scene. "Are you ready for tomorrow Bond?"

Bond smiles a feral grin. "M I am ready for anything you and _**your**_ new man Mallory can throw at me."

M's taken aback at Bond's reaction. He seems rather aggressively tense and Tanner looks like he wishes he was anywhere else. Obviously, Bond has investigated Mallory and Tanner has filled him in on Mallory's persistent personal requests.

M decides to school Bond for his presumptions. "Bond really, I never took you for the possessive type and I don't recall asking for your opinion on Mr. Mallory. I deal with men in high and low places daily, have you now decided to vet them all?"

Bond blurts out... "not all, just the flirty single ones, and someone has to ma'am"... he glances towards Tanner, who looks like a small animal caught between two carnivores.

Bond's bluntness surprises all within ear shot. The trainer quickly leaves the room armed with enough gossip to fuel the fires at MI6 for a fortnight. Tanner shifts from side to side but knows well enough to wait for orders.

M stands with her hands on her hips and her eyes narrow dangerously.

To Bond, she looks adorably sexy and she doesn't even know it. Bond's now enjoying the view of her front side, hoping to piss her off enough to keep her near for a while.

M's voice turns low and dangerous "007, you should save your lip for puckering up to Mallory. He will be your boss soon enough and if you plan on keeping this job you better be on your best behaviour tomorrow."

M grabs her things and heads for the door but M's interested in seeing how far Bond will take his flirtations with Tanner present. M decides to twist the knife deeper into his shoulder so to speak.

"As it is Bond, you are here at my sufferance only. No one else would be as kind and motherly as I, considering all the childish antics and annoying traits I have to put up with around here."

Bond smiles, blatantly raking his eyes over her. "I'm sorry M but you don't come even close to **_mother_** like in my mind, and as for childish….AM NOT!" For fun he sticks his tongue out at her.

Normally, Bond's jibes and flirtations are easy to deflect as nonsense but the intensity behind his eyes and in his posture make an involuntary shiver go up her spine.

Bond usually tries to rile her up but this...well it...feels different. Bond looks as though he wants to consume her. M wonders if this is the look he gives all the women that tumble into bed with on his missions. M shakes her head in annoyance and leaves the two of them and heads to the change rooms. 

Bond couldn't possibly be serious...it is insane...she simply refuses to believe it. The gall of the man, he was breaking into her home...long before she looked like this...so it could never be romantically...sexually motivated...could it?

M hits the shower wishing that all the men in her life would stop looking at her as if she had turned into…something…desirable…she has not felt that way for many years.

M needs focus on how to fix the mess that killed 8 employees and that is all that matters now. There is no room for anything personal in her life, not even her own children.

At least her children are grown and have families of their own, they do not need her now. M's great regret in life is that she often chose her job over her family.

They are going to force her out regardless…this hard drive issue is bad and she can't see them letting her stay very much longer.

M needs a new plan.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Three days later Bond arrives for more training and his psych evaluation. The shards were killing him on the gun range so he painfully removed them with a knife. Bond hands them to Tanner.

"Have these analyzed… for her eyes only."

The room is exactly as he expects and he casually glances at the two-way mirror where he knows that M will be standing. Tanner and that tosser Mallory will be there also. They begin with a typical word association game.

Let the show begin. Bond enjoys calling M a bitch but the last question, Skyfall… he shoots a vicious look in her direction. It is all a game to them and he's getting tired of playing. Bond gets up, says "we're finished" and walks out the door to go get changed.

Bond sits in front of her desk in her new office and stares at the bulldog figurine that adorns it. Bond does this mainly, because he cannot trust himself looking at her for too long.

There will be no way that it will be comfortable for the two of them if he can't stop eating her up with his eyes.

It's far better to cling to their normal routine, flirting, gibes and casual insults on her part. After all she is craving normalcy according to Tanner and it won't do for him to start behaving differently in front of the guest now will it.

"The office blows up and that survives."

M notices Bond staring at her desk figurine. At least it diverts his attention. Bond's attention has been uncomfortably more intense since his return.

M cooly looks up from the paper work she is looking at and does the most devastating thing she can do to him. She raises one perfectly arched eyebrow in a way that Bond has always found devastatingly seductive.

M's eyes are truly brutal in nature, they can cut you faster than a knife and intrigue you with their depths. The intense deep blue colour is uncomfortable and seductive all at the same time.

M could pry the secrets out of a silent monk without saying a word. Truly it is M's secret power…over him at least and he is positive that he is not the only one.

"Your interior decorating tips are not welcome, Bond."

Mallory walks in and the two men officially meet with a friendly handshake.

Bond has passed the tests. "By the skin of your teeth." M says and Bond's surprized that he actually managed it in so short a time.

Bond pays very close attention to Mallory, and his mannerisms towards M. Mallory sits comfortably and calmly as if nothing is amiss or like someone who knows the answers to all the questions. Mallory questions M about putting him back into the field.

Bond's done. M has given him the thumbs up to continue and that is good enough for him. He gets up and out of his chair and leans over to her "I will be outside if you need me."

Mallory gets M on the defensive by insinuating that she cannot or will not see that she is sentimental about him.

Bond says flippantly "hire me or fire me it is entirely up to you." Bond shoots one last glare at Mallory as he then turns to leave.

Mallory makes a point of stopping him by asking why he didn't stay dead, "it's a young man's game and no shame in admitting you've missed a step."

Bond is beside Tanner's desk at the exit when he answers. Bond looks intently at M sitting behind the desk. "Someone has to look after...**_England_**. As for age...it doesn't mean what it once did now does it?"

Mallory looks back at M with a frown. "Looks like you are not the only sentimental one…well M shall I pick you up at 19:00 for dinner tonight?"

After what has just transpired between Mallory and Bond, M's surprised by the abrupt change in subject. M feels herself annoyingly start to blush like a bloody school girl. M realizes that Mallory is playing head games now, what with Tanner and James standing there intently watching the entire scene.

M says quietly "Yes, all right. I will see you then." She does not enjoy having alpha males butting heads in her office and frankly it is giving her a headache.

Mallory gets up to leave and extends his hand to Bond to shake before he departs. Bond desperately wants to say something acerbic but restrains himself some how.

Once Mallory is gone Tanner quickly diffuses the situation between M and Bond by giving them an update on the metal fragments from Bond's shoulder.

Bond will go to China and await M's orders.

M will go to dinner with Mallory whether Bond wants her to or not.

Bond had begun the day on a better note. He got to flirt shamelessly with the agent that shot him, Eve is her name. Eve is a good-looking number and she admits to him that she is overseeing the transition. This one is in Mallory's pocket, he likely promised her a good role in the new MI6. M is out of a job no matter what the outcome and he doesn't like it one bit.

Mallory questioning M's orders and cornering her into a date is less than amusing for Bond to sit through. It's frustrating him…his feelings for her are becoming more intense and he's feeling something he has never felt over a woman before. James Bond, 007 is jealous. Bond has felt professional jealousy before but never romantic, and it is not a pleasant feeling.

Bond would really like to punch Mallory in his smug face.

It did not take Bond long to meet with the new Q, and that was not what he expected. The new Q looks barely old enough to drive let alone run Q branch.

Bond gets his flight in order and grabs his luggage. He has plenty of time until his 1:00 am flight, so Bond decides to go out for a nice dinner. Bond finds a nice table in the corner where he can see the room and orders a drink. Bond doesn't have to wait long for them to arrive.

M and Mallory arrive a few minutes later and sit in a cosy corner booth at the other end of the room.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Mallory and M sat in a corner booth and he orders them both drinks. "So Mr. Mallory, I have decided today that if you want my job you have it. I will leave immediately on the condition that I become a free-lance agent for MI6 and can investigate this horrid case until finished."

Mallory is taken aback. "This is an abrupt change of heart M, are you sure you want to become an agent and take that type of risk when you could just enjoy your retirement?"

"Yes, I am sure and I want it done within two days. I am going to China to help Bond question Patrice and then we will follow the trail from there."

"Does Bond know you are his partner on this one? He does not strike me as the type that works well with other agents." Mallory asks looking concerned and uncomfortable.

Not to mention Mallory hates the idea of her traipsing around the globe with Bond. Bond's track record with women is legendary, and frankly Mallory does not want the competition.

"No, he doesn't know and I will arrive hopefully just before the mark does. I will only be there to aid in the investigation and I did live in China for over 10 years."

M continues after sipping her drink. "Can you start shadowing me at tomorrow? Tanner will be very useful in assisting the transition and before you protest more, I have already spoken to the Prime Minister and it's a done deal."

Mallory swallows his drink in one go and shakes his head. "M, this is more sudden than I thought but I will do what I must."

The rest of the dinner is nice. They plan the minor details of the transition over dinner. They even share a few laughs over a few more drinks.

M is beginning to feel tipsy. She feels like a barrier lifted from between them and they can work towards becoming friends of a sort. M realizes suddenly that she is saying goodbye to her career and she needs...to just let it go.

A year ago she could not have imagined feeling this at ease with the decision. Now after everything that has happened, since Nigel's death...maybe...just maybe...there is a chance for her to reestablish a relationship with her family. God knows she has not had time in the last 20 years.

M has children to torment and grandchildren to spoil.

There are a few more laughs when she tells Mallory what she will use for her code designation.

"I will be agent 1000. My alias will be Emma Smith, so if anyone accidentally calls me M I will have a plausible excuse. I already have Q branch working up my bio and documentation."

Mallory looks at her and slightly slurs " 1000 as a designation?"

M smiles a brilliant smile and asks him "What is the roman numeral for 1000, Gareth?"

It is the first time she calls him by his first name and he likes the way it rolls out of her mouth. In fact he loves the sexy timbre of her voice.

"1000 is M." Mallory laughs along with her.

Bond watches the two of them drink a fair deal. At first their discussion seems intense but then they have a few drinks and M is smiling and laughing along with him as he flirts with her and touches her arms and hands as much as possible.

Bond doesn't know what he is going to do, or how he feels about this. Bond has never seen M so relaxed and she's damn near glowing from the drinks he's counted her consuming.

Bond wants to make Mr. Gareth Mallory disappear and never see the light of day again. He involuntarily clenches his fists every time Mallory reaches out to touch her or gets her yet another drink. The man is blatantly trying to get her drunk to take advantage of her.

In spite of the arguing the two of them do, he respects M a great deal. Since his return it has been strange...he has alway thought...well...he felt... about her was…well?…It's hard to explain even to himself.

Bond would give his life or take another's on an order from M and that is not a normal relationship. Two stubborn people...strange power dynamic…age difference...a husband...all impossible...his wish to have a physical relationship. This is how he use to see them but now?

Now he is doing things like breaking into Mallory's home and finding out where they are going to dinner...following her like a bloody stalker.

Bond desperately wishes he didn't have a flight to catch. He could be waiting at her place for her to return home tonight. If she returns home tonight….The mere idea of which makes him start to perspire and plan Mallory's funeral.

Christ, he loves breaking into her home, to just to see her get riled up and threaten to kill him. There is absolutely nothing sexier than being threatened by her. Of course she would never go through with it but she could and that's the rush of danger that he so enjoys. M's age has never mattered to him, he admires...no it is more than that...

Bond's flight at Heathrow is in two hours but he follows them as they leave the bistro. They start walking a path along the Thames. Bond wants to make himself obvious to her so she either confronts him or gets so flustered that she stops this travesty of a _**date **_before it leads to anything…sorted.

M is actually having a good time. The drinks are having a nice warming effect and she agrees to a walk. As they are walking she feels eyes burning into the back of her head. M doesn't want to crane her neck searching so she modifies her pace which Mallory follows without question. M stops suddenly and looks back the way they came while conversing with Mallory about mundane things. The shadow stops also, they're being followed.

M is about to alert Mallory when she notices that he has gone quiet. Mallory is staring into her eyes and then to her lips and before she can bring her hands up to stop him he pulls her forward into an embrace and kisses her. M is so shocked she doesn't know what to do. M allows the kiss to deepen even though she knows she shouldn't and begins to enjoy the feeling right down to her toes. M has not had something like this happen...well a lifetime ago.

M looks past Gareth's shoulder and sees the blond hair of the agent that is following. Damn it! It's Bond...what the hell is he doing here...she notices his hands clenched at his sides and she breaks the alcohol induced kiss, breathing heavily.

M smiles at Mallory slightly embarrassed and says it's late and the two of them need to get some rest. She sees the lust and disappointment in his eyes. M smiles, takes his hand and says. "Gareth, there are unwritten rules about inter office relationships, especially with the boss."

Mallory pauses and looks sad and a bit put out. "Your, right...there are. Have you always followed those rules M?"

Bond is long forgotten as she lets into Mallory. "What does that mean? Are you trying to suggest I would sleep with a member of my staff?"

M is starting to get really pissed now. "What do you take me for. I am almost 77 years old and I was a happily married woman until last year...It is a bit of a stretch to think that anyone on my staff would even want to try to bed me and I would never resort to sexual harassment!"

"I will see you tomorrow, Gareth." M storms away calling for her driver as she goes.

Mallory catches up to her. "I am so sorry M. I didn't mean to make you angry but I could never consider you an underling to myself so I will not view you as one of my employees...I can give you a lift home...no need to bother your driver."

"I suppose then you will want to come up for a nightcap...or to make sure the house is safe and empty also? You already told me that too many people know where I live and I don't think that it's a good idea Gareth."

"At least you're still calling me Gareth. To be honest, yes I would love to have a drink with you and to show you my respect in any way that you would allow me to ma'am."

M softens her glare and stammers "I...don't think it would be wise...right now...things are changing so much...it...it is difficult to understand ...and...deal with...you can understand that can't you?"

Mallory pulls her into a hug and speaks softly into her hair. "I will wait as long as you need and if we can only be friends...then so be it."

"Thank you Gareth. Now who is the sentimental one?" M gave him a peck on the cheek as she ducks into her car.

Gareth Mallory stares at the retreating car, that woman is a living contradiction. M claims no entanglement with her staff but there is a certain blond agent that was in that restaurant tonight. Mallory also knows that she is well aware that he was following them on their walk.

"Christ! And now I'm just as guilty...sentimental..." of course she would toss that back at him.

M is a dangerously intelligent woman and he really doesn't want her in the field. Damn her! M went to the top on this one and he could do nothing to stop her. Still, Mallory hopes that he has made a deeper connection with her, one that he dearly wishes to consummate.

M returns home and drops everything beside the door and unceremoniously plops into her chair. Leaning forward with her elbows planted on her knees she holds her head in her hands. M's mobile rings. "Yes, Tanner its late can this wait? Oh...alright... I will look at it straight away."

M gets up and moves to her laptop to open the files Tanner sent. Five imbedded agents, their names and locations, released on the internet with the threat of more to follow.

"Damn it! Tomorrow is going to be a new kind of hell!"

M receives a text from Mallory, he had just received the same news. There is also a text from Bond as well which is unusual but not unexpected after the evening she's been having.

It reads..."Keep fighting the good fight and don't do anything I would do while I am gone…please. Yours, James."

What the hell is that supposed to mean? M is a little drunk and frankly to tired to care anymore so she gets up and has a large glass of water with two pills and heads to bed.

Once in bed, almost drifting to sleep the possible meaning of the text hits her. M is alone in bed as it has been for almost a year now and that is how Bond wants her to remain...alone…not with Mallory.

M would never have brought Mallory home...to her bed...although he is handsome...good kisser...James' concern is unnecessary...and a little thrilling...the booze is doing...her thinking...not her...James is not for her...wonder how...James kisses...she rarely calls him that...James...nice name...nice eyes...nice body...nice dream...

Bond retreats once he is sure she saw him. MALLORY KISSED M! The tosser…he would have dropped him then and there but remembers that he is soon to become his boss. Bond is seriously doubting his ability to work for the man.

Thankfully, M breaks the kiss and argues with him. Bond sees her call for her car and breathes a sigh of relief that he doesn't have to bloody his hands tonight before getting on a plane to carry out M's mission.

Bond sends a text off to Tanner and tells him to watch M for him and to try to keep Mallory away from her as much as possible.

Tanner agrees without asking why. Bond knows that deep down that Tanner realizes the reason. This is the entire reason Tanner told Bond about Mallory to begin with.

Tanner is just as worried about M as he is. Tanner maybe more perceptive than Bond ever gave him credit for. He may even understand Bond's strong yet undefined feelings for M better than Bond himself.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

On the plane Bond sleeps fitfully.

It's not surprising that his dreams are often horrible.

These dreams however, are of the more erotic variety. They centre on a tiny blonde with a pixie cut and a very nice hourglass figure. In the dream Bond is kissing M as she's pinned against the door of her flat.

Bond then pulls M up his body and she wraps her small legs easily around his waist. In the dream they are making out like crazed hormonal teens and he carries her around her flat. M is the perfect size for carrying around...they…just fit together...perfectly balanced.

Bond takes her over to her sofa... holding her and kissing her over and over...his hands begin roaming...

Bond wakes with a start, just as something really good is about to happen.

Bond falls into another doze only to see M sprawled on a bed barely dressed beneath…a lustful gaze in her eyes...at least he thinks it's him but then he is watching from another angle…it becomes Mallory's bedroom and Mallory's body crawling up over her….as she smiles a sexy crooked smile...looking into his...NO...Mallory's...eyes...argh...

After waking from his troubled sleep, Bond shakes his head and leans forward with a groan. M is the most important female figure in his life but this is getting ridiculous.

Bond would never consider M easy in any way, shape or form and he secretly thanks god for that. Bond prays for the strength to deal with his intensifying emotions for the stubborn woman.

There is an aggressive tightening he feels in his chest when he thinks about her in the arms of Mallory.

Mallory initiated that embrace not M. Bond has to keep telling himself that or he will go mad.

James wonders if M will ever understand the effect her physical change is having on those around her. Q may have been insane to do this to her but the effect is more far-reaching than he could have imagined.

It may have worked out for the bloke if she had felt the same way about him. Maybe, if M had wanted to retire he might have stood a chance, but Q was always bad with the human element of the equation.

Mallory is certainly obvious about his desire for her.

Bond is certainly not the only one that found her attractive even in her advancing age. He knows that Tanner can barely contain himself, he acts so comically nervous around her now.

Damn it! How could he of all people, be so bloody pedestrian. James Bond is falling in love with his boss.

London

The day continues at a furious pace along with M's hang over. Mallory is due by 13:00 as he has business with the PM before coming to the bunker. The aftermath of the new about the exposed agents will likely keep him longer.

M feels bad for springing all this on Tanner so suddenly so she takes him, Eve and the new Q out for lunch. Q is kindly describing all the equipment that he has for her mission to China. M is glad that she chose this young man as the new Q. M finds his style of dress and hair quirky but that does not really matter, he's a brilliant young man.

Tanner continues in his agitated state so M assures him that Bond is going to take care of the sticky stuff and she will only be there in a support capacity with Eve.

M will have some authority to change the mission on the fly even if she is not officially the head of MI6. The transition happens in a month or two depending on the speed of Mallory's approval for the job of M. Mallory will be in-term boss and be called by his rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Mallory arrives and they begin the process of allowing official access to all the important information. Mallory seems to enjoy hanging over her shoulder for the day which is somewhat unnerving…she knows he wants and so does Tanner.

Tanner seems to watch Mallory more closely when he's in her personal space. M stops every once in a while just to make sure Mallory is really paying attention to what she is telling him.

M feels guilty about leaving work a bit early to get ready with Eve.

The tragic news of the agents executions passes through command. The PM's office is appeased only because M is voluntarily standing down and Mallory is starting to take over.

The press is making them out to be a bunch of bumbling fools. M is sitting at her desk looking at the news feed from the BBC. Reflecting on yet another problem to add to the personal issues she is dealing with. Thankfully, it won't be hers to deal with for much longer.

The old Q used M as a guinea pig and the resulting problems are:

1. Emotional carnage.

2. Clothing.

The first one M is still trying to come to grips with. The second, just costs money and thank god for expense accounts.

Changing sizes so quickly has caused a tremendous amount of tailoring. After the first few days M took all her suits in for alterations.

M needs to get outfitted for the mission and Eve is more than willing to aid her in this task.

M envies Eve's hight and slim physic as she models a beautiful strap-less gold gown. _You always want what you can't have_. Eve thinks M looks beautiful in the blue dress that she picks.

M and Eve go to eat dinner as they await the alterations on M's evening gown.

"It must be nice to just be able to buy anything off the rack and have it look great on you."

Eve laughs "Yes, M but a woman with a figure as curvaceous as you will always get as much if not more attention."

They leave for China the next day. Tanner and Mallory drive them to the airport. It is a nice gesture but somewhat uncomfortable as Mallory wishes her luck and suddenly kisses her in front of Tanner and Moneypenny.

Moneypenny's wide grin can barely be contained as M levels a _do not even ask_ look in her direction. Tanner shifts from foot to foot nervously wondering how to break the awkwardness. Tanner approaches M and extends his hand for her to shake.

When M takes his hand Tanner pulls her forward into a big hug. Tanner whispers in her ear, "be careful and come home soon."

Mallory frowns at them as Eve just smiles at the sweetness of the gesture. M is bemused and touched by the sincerity of her former chief of staff.

As M and Eve claim their seats and settle in Eve looks at her with a question on her lips. M shakes her head and before she even has a chance to ask. "I do not wish to discuss my private life right now Ms. Moneypenny...I wouldn't even know where to begin."

Eve raises an eyebrow and laughs and M soon joins her.

China

Their rooms are in the same hotel as Bond's but he will not know they are there until M deems it necessary or Tanner tells them that Bond needs back up.

James enters the hotel after dinner and proceeds to the elevator to head to the bar upstairs. As he passes the desk he smells a perfume that reminds him of M.

Bond shakes his head as he presses the right floor. Bond hates the waiting part of the mission. The bar is empty so he can't even find a woman to flirt with, let alone seduce. Bond desperately wants to try to get M out of his subconscious and the best way to do that is to get another woman underneath him.

The text comes in...it's time.

M watches James walk through the lobby as she is sitting in the corner of the lounge. Eve is checking them in. M debates making contact when she receives a text. Bond is on the chase so she will have to wait for his contact through MI6.

M and Eve get something to eat and go to bed early.

Bond has to kill Patrice and the trail is now leading to Macau.

Eve and M receive a text from Tanner. They will follow and Bond arrive at the same club as Bond but at different times. M sends Eve to help Bond get ready while she goes to case the casino first.

M figures it will do the two of them good to get to know each other better. She wonders if they will sleep together. Certainly Bond will try, it is in his nature but M secretly hopes that Eve will have better sense than that. Bond leaves dead bodies and broken hearts in his wake wherever he goes.

If the two of them do have relations, M will have ammunition to use against Bond if he starts pestering her about Mallory again.

M spent much of the plane trip thinking on the mission and Mallory. Hopefully, he will adjust to the job as quickly as she dumped it in his lap. As for their relationship...as far as she's concerned there isn't one and it would be unwise to think too much on this during a mission...to many distractions are dangerous.

The Casino is ornate and beautiful. M saunters in and takes a seat at the bar to begin observing the room. Two drinks arrive before she has time to order one.

Eve was right about the dress, M will have to pace herself. M acknowledges the man across the bar that sent her the drinks but refuses when he indicates he wishes her to come join him.

M's ear piece buzzes as Eve makes contact.

M sees her enter and comes towards her and M hands her extra drink to Eve. The man who keeps moving closer to her from across the bar watches them intently, M hopes he derives that he is not wanted, by her giving Eve the drink. M makes sure to caress Eve's hand just to send the proper signal for him to stay his approach.

Bond is on his way.

M whispers back "You had better wander the room. I have a good view of the stairs and the upper offices. There are at least two bodyguards and a woman who I got a glimpse of. I will watch them and you look after Bond. Hopefully, our drink benefactor now believes you and I are an item. I do hope he keeps his distance."

Eve wanders off, levelling a nasty glance at the man ready to pounce on M from across the bar.

Bond saunters in and sees a stunning Eve come up to him handing him an earpiece.

"Stop touching your ear" He tells her with a wink and a smile.

"Where's the back up?" Bond asks as he walks around to the cash cages. Eve told him earlier that she came to China with another agent for his back up but she neglected to give a name and he was too busy trying to undress her to question further.

"She's at the bar." Eve wanders around the casino and finds a table with a view of Bond.

"She?"

"Agent 1000."

"Who the hell is that?" Bond frowns.

James was waiting for the cashier to make contact with the establishment to get the money for the chip he found on Patrice.

Bond turns around to survey the room and his heart almost stops when he sees her.

WHAT THE HELL?

Before he can do more than scowl a stunningly beautiful woman who he observed on the stairs, walks towards him. She is exotic and dangerous, two combinations Bond usually loves but he's too distracted.

M, the blonde beauty in blue at the end of the bar is watching him and he can feel his heart start to race.

The exotic woman is the one he saw standing by the window after he killed Patrice. She saw him for a split second as he stood by the broken glass of the high-rise.

The game is about to get interesting. Bond's concentration is off and his eyes are constantly drawn to the bar looking for M but she is now gone.

The exotic beauty gives him a large metal case and has her henchmen open it to display millions in Euros. Bond thanks her and moves off to see the tables as he looks casually for M.

While Bond wanders around he finds Eve sipping Champagne at a table. Bond dumps his ear piece in her glass and whispers through clenched teeth.

"You had better get her out of her...this is too dangerous and I can't protect her and do what I have to do."

Bond walks away quickly before she can respond. Eve looks around the room for M while talking into her own device. "M, Bond is upset you are here and has the mark at the bar. Where are you?"

Eve heard M in her ear "I could tell I was distracting him. Did you not tell him I was here when you were assisting him earlier?"

"No, M...I'm sorry...I thought it would be a bit of a lark."

"Well, Moneypenny, I am upstairs getting a look around the office. You stay and watch out for Bond and I will meet you back at the hotel later.

I will go comm silent now as Bond has already disposed of his audio and that's the information I wanted to hear...argh...that man why is he always so bloody difficult... once...just once... I would like to think that he could follow the god damn...bloody rules especially when I am right bloody well here." M rants in obvious exasperation.

Bond focuses on the woman and sits at the bar with her. The conversation is telling and he easily guesses her place in the organization. Bond slathers on the seduction glad that he dropped his ear piece so M can't hear him.

M has disappeared and he hopes to hell Eve got her to leave. What in the hell is the head of MI6 doing out here in the field?

Bond realizes that they are not going to let him leave with his winnings without a fight. He also realizes that the men are here to keep the girl from going anywhere. She has an owner.

Eve helps Bond get out of the dragon pit allowing him to continue after the girl.

Bond whispers to Eve before leaving. "Did you get her out?"

"No…she was searching through some paperwork in the offices and went comm silent, since you dropped yours…by the way M's pissed you did that. I'm to meet her at the hotel."

Bond nods and leaves to catch a barge taxi and find the boat with the girl.

Eve takes the case of money back to the hotel with her to find that M is not there.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

M spent her time searching through papers left on and around the desk in the office. M finds a name, Raoul Silva and a dock slip number for a boat. Maybe there is information on Mr. Silva on the boat.

Maybe Mr. Silva is on the boat.

M slips out the back of the club and catches a barge for the shore. M regrets not being able to tell Eve, but she would see both of them back at the hotel for debriefing.

M finds the boat, it is a very beautiful and a well guarded one as that. She uses one of the toys given to her by Q for a distraction so she can get on the boat. M wishes she had more comfortable clothing but time was of the essence.

The two men on the boat get off to investigate the noise M is creating with a small amp and her device Q gave her. M slips on the boat and removes her shoes to carry them. She turns off the noise remotely and ducks into the lower levels of the boat.

The boat is large and has several cabins. It is ornately decorated with lovely pieces of art. M finds a bar and helps herself to a drink. She looks in each room and finds the one she believes belongs to the beautiful exotic woman who Bond is seducing for information.

For some reason this makes her feel a bit queasy.

M cannot find anything else on the mysterious Mr. Silva, nor is he here below deck.

M hears people on the deck and whips out into the hall. She runs to the back stairs but sees feet descending. M abruptly stops and ducks into a storage closet. M places her shoes on a shelf with her purse. M removes her gun from the bag and puts her mobile in her bra just in case she's discovered.

She listens closely and hears at least two men and a woman. M peaks out into the hall to see one of the men shove the woman into her room a bit roughly and stalk back up the stairs talking roughly on a phone or radio.

M sneaks out of her hiding spot and tries again for the stairs, only to see a shadow over them and a man coming down. M hides away in her closet again. Damn it! M thought she would have more time.

M considers her options and waits for the man in the hall to pass. The man ducks into the woman's cabin and she wonders if it is Mr. Silva.

Suddenly the boat began to move. "Damn it!"

Now what is she going to do. She takes out her phone and texts Eve. It kept trying to send but she has limited signal.

M composes a texts for Tanner and Bond to give them the name of the boat and Mr. Silva. The phone will send the message as soon as it had enough bars to do so. Back in the old days radios usually worked, damn all this new technology...so temperamental.

Looks like she will have to stay hidden until they stop. M thinks she hears a shower running somewhere and really wishes she was back at the hotel having one herself. Along with some food and a rather large drink.

M settles to the floor with her gun dangling in her hand and eventually drifts off to sleep.

The next thing she knows a man bursts into the closet and hauls her up off the floor taking her gun away instantly.

Damn it, such a rookie mistake. To fall asleep and be taken captive on her first mission. M is blushing with embarrassment as she pauses to grab her bag and put on her shoes. The man grabs the bag from her and roughly pushes her up the stairs to the deck.

They're docked on a derelict island. The buildings are crumbling all around and it looks as though a nuclear bomb destroyed the city.

Well, at least they had not found M's mobile stuffed in her bra...yet.

M's captor speaks into a radio informing someone of an extra passenger. "I've got a British woman here, she could be another agent by the look of things."

There is a response and he pulls her off the boat into the decaying city.

M wonders if they have Bond or Eve. I guess she is about to find out.

Maybe the mysterious Mr. Silva will be there also.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Bond's tied to a chair waiting to meet his captor. The man who owns the beautiful Séverine and has her terrified beyond belief.

After stealing away on the boat last night, Séverine and Bond enjoyed each other in the shower. She told him that she hoped he would kill him.

The elevator opens and a tall blonde man saunters over to Bond. As he walk towards Bond he begins telling him a convoluted story about rats and M.

Silva brags about his talents and ability to destabilize governments with a few keystrokes on his computer.

Silva openly brags about blowing up MI6 because of M. He claims that he was M's favourite once and assumes Bond is his replacement.

M worked with him 20 years ago in Hong Kong and now Silva is out for revenge because he feels that M betrayed him...which may or may not be true...it's hard to tell when your dealing with a mad man.

Bond senses that there is more to his obsession that meets the eye. Obsession with the woman Bond loves.

Silva continues to speak about how M has that _effect_ on him and she has been a very bad _mother_ to her sons.

Bond practically spits at the insinuation that they were anything alike or that he would join him in anything...as Silva tries to elicit a sexual response from Bond.

It is obvious to Bond that Mr. Silva is highly unstable, physically very large and likely a very dangerous man. Male flirting aside, Bond feels Silva is hedonistic enough to torment both sexes equally and he can understand Séverine's fear of him.

Silva would rarely be gentle. Bond has met his like before, a sexual sadist with an attitude that screams for all to hear... _I take what I want!_

Silva is completely self-absorbed and has a focused hatred of M and possibly all women. God...if he could see her now...

Bond states clearly that his hobby is "resurrection" when Silva asks.

Silva is still trying to turn him against M.

Apparently Silva is looking for a partner in mayhem and he want him to be that partner...likely in more way than one...

Bond smirks. "Well, at least she never tied me to a chair."

Silva snips back at M's hansom agent. "Her loss."

A henchman approaches Silva and whispers into his ear.

Silva looks up somewhat shocked and turns back to Bond to continue their banter.

"I have a fun game for us to play but now we have to wait to meet a new player James, apparently your MI6 back up has arrived."

The door is slightly behind James so he has to crane his neck to see who they are bringing in.

Bond stops breathing the second he sees the blue dress. He presses his eye closed and involuntarily shakes his head as he exclaims under his breath, "no..no..no…Christ,no!"

This is a very bad dream...M cannot be here with this maniac...now...with him tied to a chair unable to move.

Silva looks at the new arrival. "What have we here? A pretty little stow away."

M's brought beside Bond, who she notices, looks like he is about to throw up.

Silva stops talking or looking at anyone else in the room.

"NO! NO! This is not possible...MI6 is playing games with me..." Silva rants.

Silva roughly grabs M and pulls her to him in a crushing embrace. Silva bends down so that his giant head is in the crook of her tiny neck and closes his eyes and as he loudly inhales her sent like an animal.

Just as abruptly, Silva pushes her away as if he's been stung.

Silva looks at her with a sneer that is full of lust and hate.

Bond doesn't know what to do...Bond wants, no...he needs...to take Silva's attention away from M.

She looks unharmed and gorgeous now that he gets to see her up close. Why does she have to be here...now...looking so damn...desirable...

The fleeting glimpses Bond had of her at the casino were from a distance...then she disappeared...now he knows to where...damn it...she must have beat them to the ship.

M looks up at the hulking man with a disgusted look on her haughty face. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Bond almost spits in shock, she speaks with all the authority of...well…M but with zero control of the situation.

When would she realize that out in the field interacting with the bad guys personally she...M is not in command of the situation.

Silva looks taken aback also. "You...are...her...you smell like her but…no, no, no you are... a look-alike sent to confuse me…but…if that is true...then…how did she know it was **ME**?"

M glances down again at Bond. On closer inspection he appears slightly beaten, shocked and not at all happy to see her.

M looks up at a man who she thought had died at the hands of the Chinese 20 years ago.

He looks ridiculous with his bleach blond hair. "Tiag..." M begins before she can stop herself, confusion written all over her face.

Silva's face contorted in triumph as he yells "YES! So you remember me...YOU ARE HER!"

M's eyes shoot daggers at him "I remember a man who you resemble but I do not think for a minute that you are him. He was in my employ and died at the hands of the Chinese."

Silva growls and moves around her like a cat about to pounce. "No remorse...I had hoped…but you see...Bond I told you...I told you...she cares nothing for the likes of us."

Bond senses Silva's increasing instability and M's stubborn desire to chastise the insane man. M either has not yet picked up on his instability, or simply doesn't give a damn.

M's stubborn nature usually entices Bond but at this moment he would be far happier with a more timid attitude. The fact that Silva is obviously obsessed with either killing her or worse seems to escape her and this complicates things.

Bond speaks just to break Silva's concentration on M.

James looks up at Silva. "If you're done with me can I go now?"

Silva looks at Bond like he's surprised he is still here… "Oh, yes...M your new favourite man toy tires of being ignored...shall we go outside and play a game?"

M looks at Silva crossly. "I am not M."

Silva and Bond look at her.

"I have retired and no longer carry that title."

Silva snarls and again invades her personal space. "You are M…until death...tell me…is this the effect of what Q did? I know he disappeared to the Bahamas...there are rumours about you and him…you see..._my_ _darling_...being a computer genius has its advantages."

Silva paces back and forth in front of them.

"Did you sleep with him as payment? Or did you just have him do your bidding and then exile him away from you? They will do anything for you won't they? They don't know you like I DO!"

Why does everyone think she is sleeping around? Nigel has only been gone 11 months and she's damn close to 77 years of age...for christ sake...what do they take her for?

M looks up at him sharply and lets him have it.

"If you are insinuating that I would have a relationship with those in my employ, you are very wrong _Mr. Silva!_ As for your involvement in killing my agents, I am going to take you back to London and have you tried and imprisoned for the rest of your life... As for you knowing me in any way... you could NEVER get that close...did you think that hacking the Chinese without my order would make me happy? Your delusions are what got you into trouble, so don't try to pass blame off on me for doing my job!"

Bond wishes she would just be quiet but M is just far to use to getting her own damn way. M's fearless attack is driving Silva into a frenzy. Silva's gripping his hair and pacing rapidly about, always advancing on her like he is going to hit her and then retreating as if burned by an invisible flame.

It looks like the lioness is back. Bond hopes to hell it doesn't turn Silva on as much as it does him...he could never be that lucky. Silva wants her...in the worst possible way. This is Bond's nightmare scenario coming true...

M doesn't even seem to notice. Bond hisses in her direction. "Ma'am, please SHUT UP!"

M's surprised by Bond's verbal attack. M manages to pause long enough to catch her breath and see that Silva is acting very unstable, so she clamps her mouth shut. She crosses her arms in front of her looking crossly from one man to the other tapping her foot on the ground impatiently.

Silva drags a chair beside Bond's and hauls her up so that she is standing on it in front of him. Silva looks up at her but then he timidly reaches under her gown and puts his hands on her left leg and slides them down to her feet. He removes the shoe very slowly as if trying to imprint the feel of her into his memory. Then he starts with the other leg caressing her as he removes that shoe.

M involuntarily shivers and sucks in her breath. M's forced to put a hand on his shoulder to stop from falling over. Without her heels, it places her face to face with her mad former agent.

M has no idea what is going on behind those eyes and she is feeling less confident in getting out of this situation alive.

Silva stares into her eyes as his hands slide up from her legs skimming her dress at her hips. The tips of his fingers graze the sides of her breasts and continues up toward her graceful neck.

Silva closes his eyes momentarily and swallows hard hissing as his fingers touch her bare skin at her shoulder. He traces the V of her neck line, down to her cleavage and back upwards to trace her collar-bone to her neck.

All the while Silva's body is moving closer to her as he then traces her jaw line.

Silva is staring at his own fingers as they travel a path that he has only dreamed about in the past.

Silva cannot believe his luck, that she is even younger than he remembers her and that she is here with him now. The fates are on his side...he can take what he wants and he plans too. He has waited too long for his revenge and now...now...it will be even sweeter.

M cannot move away or risk falling off the chair. She feels herself flush with embarrassment. Silva's intense gaze makes her shiver involuntarily. Her eyes squeeze shut and her breathing becomes shallow.

God...she wishes she was anywhere but here. Silva's touch is surprisingly gentle, but far too intimate for her liking.

Bond's temperature and stress levels are about cause a heart attack. THE BASTARD! He strains against his bindings until he feels his skin break and bleed.

Bond can see how aroused Silva is becoming.

Silva's intensity has made the room grow completely silent. The 5 men behind them armed with various weapons are not immune to Silva's mood.

James is glad that Silva is being gentle with her but Bond needs to break the spell.

He yells. "OY! I thought we were going out to play some sort of game SILVA!"

Silva has M's head cupped in one of his hands as his thumb caresses her cheek. His other hand is on her shoulder and begins to travel down her body exploring. Silva's lips are whispering so quietly only she and James could hear.."so beautiful"...over and over when James' yell broke the spell.

Silva's head snapped to the left and he snarls down at James' upturned face.

Silva turns back to M, his fingers still tangled in her short hair. He harshly pulls her head forward and kisses her passionately stealing what ever breath she has left. M's hands come up between them and she pushes at his chest as hard as she can, just managing somehow to break the kiss without tumbling to the ground.

M uses the back of her hand to wipe her mouth. "HOW DARE YOU!"

Silva grabs her hand as she is about to slap him. He laughs. "Do you know how long...I've wanted to do that?...Ha..It was just as sweet as I always hoped it would be."

M scowled. "I thought you wanted me dead, not in your bed Silva!"

Silva tilts his head as he looks at her and smiles...a smile that makes her skin crawl.

"That may still be the case m'lady...so don't act so high and mighty. I'm sure you've had your share of stolen kisses from your boy toy James here."

Silva diverts his attention back to Bond who is still confined helplessly to his chair.

"Poor James...I forgot about you for a moment...how many times did you steal kisses from the duchess when you broke into her home, eh? Even while her husband was alive...tisk…tisk…tisk... I would never have done that while she had a husband, but then maybe I understand loyalty better than you do James."

Bond's not surprised that Silva's sick mind would assume that they were having an affair for all those years. Bond also doubts his sincerity about showing restraint with M merely because of a ring on her finger. Bond still feels the overwhelming need to defend M's honour.

"You know as well as I Silva, that she would never do anything like that."

Silva smiled. "Yes, but would you? YOU WANTED TO, didn't you? Even when she was an older woman, she was something to behold but now James...now...James you...would have to be DEAD...not to want her now...**_I _****_was DEAD_**...she was all I thought about..."

M climbs down off the chair and puts her shoes back on and no one moves to stop her. She's dismayed by Silva's accusation. The matter of Bond's true motives for breaking into her home.

It seems as though Silva and Mallory have the same idea about why Bond breaks into her home...as if...with a sea of beautiful young women...at him all the time...she's an old lady for christ sake!

M shouts "**ENOUGH**! The two of you are giving me a headache. Now, if you would please untie Bond and surrender to us."

Silva and his men look at this tiny woman and chuckle.

M stands with her hands placed firmly on her hips looking impatiently put out.

Silva has his men release Bond and takes M roughly by the arm and leads her out into the sun. Music blares over the audio system, it is a French tune that eerily bounces off the crumbling buildings.

The sun momentarily blinds M, Bond puts his sun glasses on while being closely followed by Silva's men. There is a table with an old bottle of Macellan and some old duelling pistols.

M shakes herself out of Silva's grasp and walks over to the Scotch. M helps herself to a large goblet and she hears Silva chuckle behind her for her audacity.

Silva walks over to stand beside her and takes another glass for himself and hands another to Bond.

Silva takes his glass over to Séverine, who's tied to a statue across the court-yard. Silva places a forced kiss on her lips, balances a glass of scotch on her head and tells her to stand...very...very still.

Silva skips excitedly back over to James and hands him a pistol. James glances back at his guards as they point their weapons at him.

M's not at all happy about what she thinks is about to happen.

Silva chirps in an excited voice. "Now James our little lover down there is part of the little game that M started in motion when she betrayed me. _Mommy_ says you passed your tests but she lied, didn't you?" Silva shoots an exaggerated look over at M.

Silva continues staring at M as she turns and takes another large pour for herself.

This time however, M starts walking with her drink, heading towards Séverine.

For a moment, Silva is frozen admiring the back side of M sauntering across the courtyard in her evening gown. His mind wandering forward to how wonderful it will be when that dress is on the floor, once they take care of Bond and the traitor Séverine. Silva involuntarily licks his lips in anticipation.

Silva reclaims himself and yells "what are you doing...my darling?"

M replies as she continues walking. "You plan on making this poor girl part of your twisted game. I don't plan on letting you get away with it. If I am to blame for all of this…"

M is now backing towards the tied woman with her arms spread wide. "I plan on playing too."

M reaches Séverine and takes the whiskey off her head and holds it to the girls lips giving her the drink. M whispers. "Duck down behind me so they can't shoot you."

Séverine's surprised by this diminutive blonde and wonders how she even got messed up with all this.

Silva is stomping mad and turns to James. "Do you see...do you see...what she does...she wrecks everything...she makes me mad enough to shoot her! What about you James do you think you can hit the glass? Mother says you passed all the tests and she...is testing you...James...she is testing...both of her boys."

James swallows hard and knows that there isn't a chance in hell he is going to shoot M.

James will fight for her until his last breath. Bond knows this with a certainty that surprises himself, James Bond loves that tiny powerhouse of a woman. Bond loves M more than anything or one in the world.

M hopes that Bond has a plan or MI6 arrives, because she is making this up as she goes along.

M stands as tall and calmly as she can with an empty glass on her head.

One thing is certain, there is no way in hell she was going to let 60 year old Scotch go to waste.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

M stands as tall and proud as she can under the circumstances. She's tired, her feet hurt from being in her heals for the better part of two days. She feels sweaty, disgusting and would kill for some food. M's getting a bit light-headed from the two generous shots of Scotch that she just drank to calm her nerves.

Tiago or Silva...as he is now known is playing William Tell with James' and M's life. The girl, who is in his employ, must have brought James here on the boat. The poor thing is quietly sobbing behind her.

Well...at least she got a chance to sleep with James before they all get killed.

M doesn't know why that thought popped into her head, but it's there...undignified envy.

MI6 is likely on its way. M's cell is still nestled in her bra and she felt vibrations of texts going out...what felt like hours ago.

James looks downright pissed. She can tell he is attempting to give off an _I don't give a damn _attitude but he's scared of Silva's game as much as she is.

Just thinking of Silva causes a shiver to creep up her spine. She finds him completely unpredictable...he's a bloody loon after whatever the Chinese did to him.

M always wondered how Bond got out of situations like this one...hopefully she is about to see how...without the two of them getting shot.

M tries not to squeeze her eyes shut, so that she can watch for reinforcements or any visual clues from Bond.

Silva's a stickler for rules of the game, regardless of the abrupt change he is going to make someone suffer. James is going to be forced shoot the glass off her head. If not Silva's men would shoot him, then her and the girl.

M can hear Silva begin to taunt Bond.

"James, James, James…"

"The game is afoot and you have to trust M...Mummy is right about you and your gun arm is fine. After all, she had you shot and left for dead….Ha… you see we are so alike you and I. She left me for dead too...we must do this together brother...you shoot and then it will be my turn...whoever breaks the glass wins the prize."

James turns to look at the mad man. "What's the prize?"

Silva laughs and shakes his head from side to side. "I can't tell you now…that's not how the games played but one thing is certain James, someone is going to die."

James is desperately trying to figure a way to make the someone who dies, Silva. He looks over at M standing in front of Séverine.

Damn it! Bond is going to live through this and kill Mallory slowly for allowing M out in the field.

M belongs safe at home under bodyguard protection not out here being felt up by crazed ex-agents. If he has time...god he hopes he has time...to make Silva suffer, he plans on cutting his fingers off for even touching her.

Silva made a sound in his throat to get James' attention and points at M.

James lifts the gun and glances around him to see where all Silva's men were. He then casually shoots the rock statue 5 feet away from M.

Silva nods his head in disgust and holds out his gun. He looks down the pistol's barrel at the tiny woman who ruined his life. He pauses, frustrated in his desire to pull the trigger.

Silva recognizes that his focus on her has changed...he wants her badly...in every way imaginable...he wants her...to live...and suffer...by his hands...just as he did...at the hands of the jailers...she gave him too.

Suddenly the sound of helicopters come over the island. Bond takes this moment to grab the gun from one of Silva's men and shoot them all five in a matter of moments.

Silva stalks towards M with a leer and his hands up, dropping the pistol to the ground. He knows that the games over and moves within 3 feet of her and drops to his knees in front of her. "You win M...mother, you alway were…so good...you win the game..."

M takes the glass off her head, smashes it on the ground in her anger and looks down on Silva in disgust. "This was a sick and twisted game. You'll be taken, questioned and imprisoned for what you have done."

Silva snaps back "What about what you have done Mummy dearest? Do you ever have to pay for your crimes?"

M ignores him over the din of the incoming choppers.

Bond approaches from behind Silva and keeps a gun on him barely resisting pulling the trigger or cold cocking him into unconsciousness.

M turns and helps Séverine out of her bonds and she stares daggers at the man who has kept her his slave for so...very long.

Silva starts to laugh like his sanity has finally crumbled into the dust of his Island home.

Silva is laughing because he cannot believe that he is here before her on his knees, begging for mercy.

It will get him where he wants to be...they don't realize that...they cannot even guess at his plans...within plans...

Silva looks back at Bond and sees hatred in his eyes. Bond is symbolically beside him on his knees begging for love from her, just as he was 20 years ago. Silva can see it all in Bond's eyes...those incredible eyes of his. Bond is as lost in her as he was...is again...

Love...hate...lust...mercy, they all weave around her like a web that he and Bond are trapped in together...brothers in need and desire.

What a threesome they would make...they would be unstoppable...insatiable...the possibilities...so enticing...but Bond is too dangerous...would never...ever...share her...he would have to go...

James cannot yet see how alike they are...he will...in the end...he will.

There can be only one winner.

M will be convinced...or forced and Silva knows he's long past the ability to convince her of anything...his way is clear.

M cannot see past his madness...she hides behind her desk...England...Empire...all the antiquated notions of her youth...her age is irrelevant...to both...her _sons_...

The two of them would be here on their knees before her even if she looked her age...her power...her being...cannot be contained...the light attracts the insects to her web...to die...by her brutal little hands...or for **her** in the name of Britannia.

M will hide herself behind the flag, the same flag that must have draped the coffins of the fallen left in her wake.

Silva ponders how many others have suffered the same fate that he and Bond are destined...to act out...for her...trying to gain acceptance...love...any indication of affection...she drove him near to madness...Q to drastic experimentation...and Bond and so many others to kill...for her...

This is merely the end of the second act...the third...he has already written.

In London she will be his...he will not be stopped...her pawns will die...the queen...will be taken...fate and Q have delivered her to him..._reborn_...and he will savour her...no one will stop him. James will die trying...more's the pity...the three of them would have been so...so...very good together...

Silva's placed in a helicopter with heavily armed men. The three of them climb into another and M sits across from James and Séverine, is beside him. Séverine hugs James' body and rests her head on his shoulder. M could swear James bristles at the closeness.

Bond looks across at her sheepishly. M looks at him and gives him a slight smile. It is too loud to talk and they are given ear protection to block the noise so M closes her eyes and tries to sleep a bit.

M suddenly feels herself being lifted like a baby and wakes reluctantly to James carrying her into a private jet.

"James, what are you doing?"

"I didn't want to wake you, you looked so beautifully...peaceful.

I have given Tanner updates and Silva is on military transport back to base under heavy guard."

M manages to open her eyes and look around. "Where is your girl? You can put me down now Bond, I'm not injured or an invalid."

James frowns and looks down at her not wanting to put her down. "I would like to think my girl is in my arms but that will just get me into more trouble."

Once in the cabin of the plane he puts her down...shivering from lack of contact with her.

"What do you mean by _your girl_?"

Bond looks at her sitting on the plush sofa across from him and says very sternly. "I think you know what I mean...I've been closer to you than any woman in my life...Why did you foolishly risk your life pretending to be an agent?"

M sat straighter and narrowed her eyes. "Pretending! I found Silva's name and where the boat was before you and I did not have to bed anyone to do it! I alerted headquarters and snooped around the boat until the party arrived...likely early because you did something risky at the casino!"

James smirked at her. "Are you mad because I slept with her?"

M shot him a withering look. "No, why would I be? You do not belong to me you belong to Britain...these are rather outdated notions don't you think. You being the younger of us I would think you would be less old-fashioned...this notion of ownership...me…your girl…ridiculous..."

James frowned at her, "You brought it up…you called Séverine my girl...you may not be my girl...but... I...I have always been yours...there is no denying that!"

M's startled by his outburst. "You are for Britain...do not confuse that loyalty with me...with my position…Silva did that...look what that got us...me."

James shook his head and leaned forward in his chair grabbing her tiny hands in his. "I'm sorry M...I was just worried. Silva is unstable and I couldn't get out of my bonds...he could have..."

M's glare softened a bit. "He would not have dared...I was far more worried about getting shot."

Damn Bond's ability to always get her riled up. He excelled at it...not even her children could piss her off that quickly.

Bond looks into her eyes "I think we both know that he would have dared M, his obsession with you runs deep...he blew up your office and kill eight just to humiliate you. Yes, he may have wanted to kill you originally but now that he has seen you...tasted you...he wants more. I should have shot him while I had the chance."

"No, we need any information Silva has on his network and anyone else he may have in hiding. We have to take him to the M. The new M may not like it if you keep calling me by his title so stop using it."

Bond grimaced. "Who is he...and please don't say Mallory."

M smiled and nodded.

Bond moved to sit beside her on the sofa and leaned back, closed his eyes. "I suppose this means I can't punch him in the face for kissing you in the park."

M blurted out. "You admit you were there! What were you thinking following us like that?"

Bond opened his eyes and said quietly "I was thinking that some...man was snogging my girl...that is what I was thinking."

"James, let's get this straight. I am no ones _girl _and in our line of work relationships are not the best idea. Besides James, there is a woman on this plane that thinks you might be a couple because you saved her from Silva."

James snorted. "You saved her not me. She was a means to an end and that usually means that they die when they are with me. Remember how you chased me to South America to tell me how dangerous my charms are." He gave her a wink and a smile.

"Bond I don't know what is going on in your head now. I swear every man around me, but Tanner is acting like a 14-year-old with a crush on the head mistress."

Bond smiles and leans towards her to whisper in her ear. "The people who work with you feel a strong connection to you, Tanner too, he is just better at hiding it. Believe me he has enjoyed being your head boy very much...something about being in your bedroom...helping you pick out a dress? You, really must fill me in on some of the details...Tanner just keeps staring off dreamily when I ask him. Somehow, I don't think Mallory will play as big a role in Tanner's workday fantasies."

M gave his arm a swat and laughed. "Oh..god stop that, right now... I won't be able to look him in the eyes again."

M's confused by the way Bond is making her feel. She wants…no...she needs to go back to the comfortable banter that he always uses...to get under her skin...now it, like her appearance has changed since his return.

M doubts this is a coincidence. It is becoming increasingly impossible for her to ignore the changes in her physical body and others reaction to it. Silva would have just shot her if he did not feel sexually drawn to her again...like in China...all those years ago.

The fact that she is feeling an attraction to Bond...it's…well…damn…irritating. Damn him and his handsome bad boy persona. It makes her angry at herself for letting him get too close...enjoying his roguish behaviour.

In all honesty, it did do wonders for her ego. To have James Bond professing jealousy...at her...not quite...relationship with Mallory. Mallory...argh...she will have to deal with him again, until all this business with Silva is done.

Other women might be flattered by all the attention but she really just sees it as something unwanted...unwarranted...damn well getting in the way of the work.

M tries to steer conversation to neutral work topics but she can do nothing to stop him looking at her like that.

M is usually is the epitome of control and it is frustrating her that she cannot control the glances that men are giving her now. They would never have bothered or dared to look at her like this half a year ago.

M got up to go use the facilities, she noticed Bond's eyes following her every move. "Damn you Q" M whispers while heading to the toilet.

Bond asked the attendant to bring some food while M got cleaned up.

M grabs the first aid kit and holds Bond's hands in her lap as she cleans his cut wrists. "You should not have struggled so much."

Bond was enjoying having her touch him even if the alcohol stung his wounds. He was deadly serious in his response.

"Silva shouldn't have touched you."

M looks at her wayward agent with a frown as the attendant arrives with some much-needed food.

After having eating and unwilling to continue any uncomfortable conversations with Bond, M curls up on the sofa to go back to sleep.

M wonders if James will sneak off to the back of the plane to sleep with Séverine. If he does all his professions of affection would be just as she believed them to be...an act...a seduction...she would be just another notch on his belt...so he can brag about bedding the boss...she would be naïve to think it more than that...and it would be unwise of her to indulge herself in something fleeting...with an agent.

James simply sat in the chair across from M and watched her sleep...She turned her back to him...she is trying to block him and everything he said out. She is out of her element...she usually has all the control...Q robbed her of that...how mortal that must make her feel...like an average woman...oh, M...you could never be average...

Séverine came out of the back quietly and watched him stare at the small woman asleep on the sofa. One look was all she needed to know. James was in love with the woman who had risked her life for her. The woman who Raoul is obsessed with and she doesn't even know her name.

James looks up when Séverine arrives. He smiled and reached for her hand. "How are you?"

"I'm fine now James…You love her don't you?" She nods in M's direction.

James nods back at Séverine who quietly returns to the bedroom wishing she could be that strong brave woman who has Bond's heart.

She now understands Silva's obsession, that woman would be impossible to forget.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

_M was watching Silva walk towards her extending a pistol in her direction...fear grips her heart...it shifts...James jumps in front of her...falling at her feet...NO...NO...NO! Silva grabs her and begins dragging her towards the boat...no stop! He could still be alive...please be alive...NO!_

Bond watches as M begins to thrash in her sleep. They are landing and she needs to wake and buckle up so he gently touches her shoulder "M...time to get up."

Just as he says it an anguished scream of "NO!" leaves her lips. It takes her a few moments to digest where she is and to notice she is in James' arms. M is so relived to see him alive that she hugs him for longer than she should.

"Nightmare?"

"Yes."

"Want to share?"

"Share what?"

"Your dream."

"Not really...I can't really remember...there was a gun...Silva was there."

M remembers everything. Her panic at seeing Bond lying on the ground, shot in front of her...she was more worried for him than she was for herself.

"Understandable...he is under lock and key...your safe now...we're home."

Séverine exits the back room and sits down to buckle up. Conversation stops as they prepare to land.

Mallory is there to meet them as the disembarked the jet.

Mallory is extremely relieved to have M back in one piece. He wraps M in an embrace when she gets off the plane whispering his words of relief into her hair.

M is a little shocked by his actions and so is Séverine as she looks at Mallory and then back at Bond.

Mallory acknowledges Bond with a tilt of his head and introduces himself to Séverine.

Bond is given a car to take Séverine to a hotel and Malloy insists that he stay with her to ensure her _safety._ Mallory pulls Bond aside to give him instructions to guard the girl to make sure she's not a risk before bringing her in tomorrow.

Bond gives short clipped answers through clenched teeth. "What about M...agent 1000?"

"Oh, don't worry Bond. We've got her now...we will make sure she gets home and settled."

_We've got her now_...I've got her now is what he's really saying. Bond wants to wipe the smirk off the bastards face but remains silently seething as they all watch Silva being placed into an armoured van to go to detention.

Bond turns to M looking into her eyes as if trying to convey a message telepathically. "Goodnight ma'am. I will see you tomorrow."

Bond and Séverine head to the hotel that Mallory wants them to use. There are guards stationed in the hall and he knows that his presence is not really necessary. Those guards will be there to make sure that he doesn't leave as much as to keep Séverine safe.

Mallory doesn't want him getting to M.

Séverine asks him about Mallory and the woman that she now knows as M. Bond just answers "It's complicated." They make the rest of the trip in silence.

M's exhausted from the last few days and reluctantly agrees to have Mallory take her home. Mallory does escort her to the door but she does not offer him a drink or allow him to enter her flat. Mallory's disappointed but he understands that she needs time to decompress from her mission.

Mentally M's exhausted beyond belief but she showers and sits downstairs eating and watching the news unable to bring herself to go to bed. She wanders to the window and sees the security that Mallory has set up, it is completely unnecessary but Silva did imply that he knew where she lived.

M realized that it is time for her to move again. To many people know her address...yes they do...Mallory is right about that...he seems right about a lot of things.

M is becoming more sentimental about Bond...he would have insisted on driving her home or made his way here tonight if Mallory had not insisted he be Séverine's bodyguard. M has no idea what she would have done about that...she would feel very nervous having him here...alone. Bond has never made her feel scared or nervous before...but now...damn...she's not going to get much sleep tonight...it won't help matters if she keeps dreaming about James.

M finds the debriefing the next day very agitating. Mallory and Bond are hardly civil and the two of them are making her head pound.

Mallory has graciously allowed her to use her old office and have a second desk brought in for himself.

The harrowing details of the capture of Silva leave Tanner, Eve and Mallory on the edge of their seats.

M attempts to gloss over the underlying sexual intensity of Silva's reaction to her but Bond annoyingly fills in the gaps of her story in excruciating detail. She finds herself blushing with embarrassment in front of them but Bond distracts the room with a verbal attack on Mallory.

Bond can barely contain his venom as he chastises Mallory for allowing her in the field. The tension between the two of them during the meeting is palpable. Bond is so tense he can not stay seated and proceeds to pace the room until Mallory finally dismisses Bond, Tanner and Eve.

Bond leaves the meeting with Tanner and Eve but not without shooting Mallory a warning glance after looking at M. Leaving M with Mallory obviously does not sit well with him. Tanner tries to calm him down, understanding the reason for his agitation and Eve goes to get the three of them some tea.

"M...ma'am, I am so sorry that you had to go through that...Bond is right you should never be in the field...your too important."

"I forced the issue...went to the PM remember...I apologize for Bond's behavior but it was a sticky mission...if 6 had not shown up when they did..."

M continues to answer Mallory's questions about Silva and their connection M gives him a condensed version of her time in Hong Kong. Mallory insisted they go for lunch to discuss the upcoming public hearing and to make up for the fiasco of a mission, even if it was not his doing.

Bond is waiting around for M and catches her as she leaves the office.

"How is the office sharing going? Mallory better keeping his hands to himself..."

"Bond for christ sakes, Tanner is in there too and I don't think I can stand much more of this male posturing. You all but accused your new boss of trying to get me killed in the field. I told you that I was the instigator of my mission and I got permission from the PM. You were deliberately trying to pick a fight with him...thank god he has more sense than you and did not rise to your juvenile challenge."

"Juvenile...that's the pot calling the kettle black...did you read too many mystery spy novels when you were young...just because you overhear some missions it does not make you capable enough to be a part of them. You could have been killed or raped by Silva, right in front of me...you were pissing him off and turning him on all at the same bloody time! Standing there tapping your foot with your hands on your hips like a pissed-offed debutant not getting her own way!"

M desperately wants a change in conversation. Damn it, she use to always have the upper hand in all conversations now she's not the boss and not herself.

"FINE! Enough...I was wrong to go! I will never be a proper agent! I already had a similar lecture from both Mallory and Tanner, happy?

The two of them stop long enough to catch a breath, calm down and stop glaring at each other before M changes the subject.

"Medical has seen to Silva and we will be questioning him tomorrow morning and you're invited along. How is Séverine?"

Bond changes his posture and adopts a more neutral stance after their verbal attack on each other.

"They have set her up in a hotel for now and Tanner is questioning her with Q. I really don't think she knows much about Silva's business. She was just the honey trap for investors and any marks Silva needed seduced."

"I thought not. Well, I have to see Eve now."

Bond grabs her arm as she tries to leave, to make up for his behavior. "Lunch?"

M looks down at his hand on her arm...remembering how Silva did the same to her on the island.

Bond sees the look and releases her suddenly with an apology in his eyes and on his lips...

M shook her head. "Mallory needs to go over the public inquiry with me."

Bond scowled. "I _bet_ he does...I would like to take you to dinner tonight, as a peace-offering."

M looks at Bond with concern in her eyes and with a sigh asks, "Do you really think that is a good idea?...James...I am in no mood for playing games and regardless of my appearance I am damn near 77 years old."

"Your age has never mattered to me before and I've felt this way a long time M. It sometimes takes almost loosing someone to see how much they mean to you." She called him James. Maybe he is getting through to her...the woman beneath the title.

Bond seems sincere and M knows exactly what he means. When Bond got shot she barely slept a wink for weeks. This is all happening too bloody fast. Q, Mallory, Bond, Silva and hell even Tanner looking at her with puppy dog eyes. M does not remember such attention when she was actually 37, but hell she had a husband and a baby by then.

M misses Nigel so much at this moment that she almost starts crying right there in front of Bond. Nigel was her rock, well removed from work, he gave her an escape into a different life.

Bond watches conflicting emotions cross M's face as if she's somewhere else. She looks so confused and sad.

"What's wrong M?"

M looked back into the intense beautiful blue of James' eyes. "Nothing...and everything...I think I need to get away...leave...this is all too much."

Bond is getting concerned now "Sorry M, I will withdraw the invitation...I will give you some space. I will be here for you when you need me."

Bond hated giving up but M's looking very emotional and lost now.

"I will see you tomorrow for the questioning of Silva."

M left Bond standing there looking somewhat dejected.

To be honest with herself, the two of them have danced on a tight rope ever since the Casino Royale incident. She never saw it at the time or simply refused to acknowledge the attraction because she thought it absurd.

It broke M's heart to see him after Vespa died. She gave him as much leeway as she could and it had paid off...still her husband had been alive then.

M easily dismissed any underlying attraction between the two of them. After all, she was an old married woman and what would James Bond want with her.

Never in her wildest dreams, could she believe that Bond would have feelings for her. M saw firsthand how he operates with women and M always assumed he flirted with her just to amuse himself.

Once, Bond called her at home during the Quantum investigation and he told her to get herself off to bed because she _sounded tired_. No other agent paid that close attention to the nuances of her voice nor did any agent have the audacity to break into her home and spend time hacking into a secure network to find out _everything_ about her.

Maybe he wasn't just being a colossal pain in her ass...he had a crush on her...her...all this time...what is she going to do about this?

What did she want to do about this? Does she feel strongly enough about him to risk her heart for something that might end suddenly and tragically?

What about Mallory? M could see getting along well with him but...this is all to damn confusing...why can't she wake up from this nightmare and just feel Nigel lying beside her, lending her his quiet strength.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Tanner and Bond wait in the operations room for M and Mallory to arrive for the debriefing of Silva. Once M and Mallory arrive Tanner and Bond follow them through the corridors of the new, old MI6.

M's dressed in a navy suit with a white blouse displaying a good amount of cleavage. The suit has the shortest skirt Bond has ever seen her wear and much more to his approval knee-high leather heeled boots. M looks cute and damn sexy as far as Bond's concerned.

Unfortunately Bond knows that he is not the only one to think so and he suddenly has the urge to throw a burlap sack over her body while she is in the presence of other men. Especially now, as they are on their way to question Silva.

Much to Bond's annoyance Mallory walks beside her and opens each door and in doing so places his right hand on the small of M's back, while guiding her though.

Tanner is walking back a few paces with Bond and notices that when Mallory places his hand on the small of M's back, an involuntary low growl emanates from his scowling expression.

Tanner thinks that M's dressed very...very...and those boots are sexy as...no...no..nice...they are nice...it is inappropriate for him to even think otherwise. The view that's given them is...that of her...bum...backside...well...thank god she doesn't have eyes in the back of her head. Tanner is actually glad they have to travel a distance to get to the secured cell that Silva is in.

Bond watches Tanner watching M's behind as she walks down the hall. The man's attention so focused he doesn't realize Bond's caught him in the act. Bond can't really blame him...it's a sight he is thoroughly enjoying also.

Mallory walks ahead to speak to the guards before entering the outer area of security.

M hangs back and pauses with one hand holding the glass door open. She looks back at Tanner and Bond. "Would it be at all possible for any childish antics to stop here, before we go any further? Her eyes sweep both men and Bond smirks at her and Tanner has a shocked, not me look on his face as he glances over at Bond, as if to place the blame on him.

M rolls her eyes "And would the two of you please stop staring at my ass!"

Bond replies "One or the other ma'am."

"What?"

Bond responds "Well I can't give up both so do you want me to stop acting childish or stop looking at your _ass_?"

"Really, Bond do grow up!"

Tanner can barely hide his mortification at being caught and he can feel his face flush.

Bond whispers towards Tanner but loud enough for her to hear "We're only flesh and blood after all and good lord...those boots...how can we not stare at such a fine..."

"ENOUGH BOND!" M narrows her eyes coldly at Bond.

Bond's jest is his attempt to relax the atmosphere and seriousness of the situation they are about to walk into. M knows this and is almost thankful that she is able to banter with him more naturally in these situations. It brings back a normalcy to their relationship.

Mallory calls them forward into the anti-room before entering to see Silva.

Silva's in a glass cell.

Silva stands up from his chair when they enter but he only had eyes for her.

Bond stands off to the left close to the cell and Tanner's at M's right hand side. Mallory is beside her on her left.

"You look so tiny beside all these men here to protect you. I was hoping you would come to see me."

M gives him her best stoney stare. "Do you have any information to tell us before you're transferred to prison? Keep in mind that we do have your computers and will find the answers that we seek with or without you."

"No remorse...Ha...See James I told you...no remorse at all for what they did to me. I kept YOUR SECRETS and they tortured me for weeks. They left me for dead... I took my cyanide capsule but life clung to me like a disease...I was reborn for a purpose...revenge...to have...YOU!...Say my name...my real name. I know you remember...SAY IT!"

M looks at him with pity in her eyes. "I barely remember you at all. Your name will be removed from the memorial wall of the very building you attempted to destroy and it will be as if you never existed at all."

It is a cruel way to twist in the knife. The men around her look on her resolve as part of her strength and M needs to cooly detach this blemish from her life.

M's record of service has been tarnished by the acts of this deranged man.

As she turns to walk away he shouts for her to turn back to show the facial deformity he is left with. She cannot hide her disgust with his appearance. Silva is on his knees laughing as she leaves the room.

Once in the hall she tell Bond, Tanner and Mallory who Silva/Tiago had been and why she turned him over to the Chinese.

They understand, but the lingering effects of what they had witnessed chill them all to the core.

M has to attend this farce of a hearing so that they can slap her wrists for the decisions that she made. M already handed in her resignation to the PM and Mallory's ensconced in the head chair now but this is her punishment, being humiliated publicly for an agent gone rogue.

Mallory, M and Tanner head to the hearing as Bond goes to Q branch.

All hell breaks loose within minutes. Silva's computer infects the systems at MI6 and he escapes with Bond in pursuit.

Silva is in his glory with his plan working so perfectly. Silva deals with Bond as dramatically as possible and is now skipping off to collect his M.

Silva makes one change to the plan that has taken months to prepare. He informs all of his men that "NO ONE is to harm or touch her but him."

Silva has all the guns he needs but requests a taser for his main goal. He can hardly contain his joy at the thought that he would soon have her.

Silva bursts through the lobby with his men, killing every guard they see.

The court room becomes a hail of bullets. Silva moves quickly towards her like a serpent, with a sneer on his face.

Mallory runs towards M to pull her away from him so Silva shots him for his audacity.

Silva then pulls the taser and aims it at her. Another one of her men gets in the way.

One metal prong catches M and one Tanner sending a mild jolt but nothing to lay them out.

Bond arrives creating cover and Tanner gets M out.

Silva's self-preservation kicks in and he snarls as he heads out a side door to a waiting emergency van. Silva's pissed, M slipped through his grasp...again.

Tanner has his hand on her back as he guides her quickly to the company car. M gets in the back and as Tanner goes for the driver seat the car wheels away.

M looks at Bond in the driver's seat. "007, what the hell are you doing? Are you kidnapping me?"

Bond looks at her through the rear view mirror. "That would be one way of looking at it. We need to change the game, M. If he wants you he is going to have to find you first so lets lead him away. I for one am sick of being one step behind the bastard."

M nods. "Too many people are dying because of me."

Bond snarled. "If Tanner had gotten you out when I had Q ask TWICE that may not have happened. I plan on kicking his ass the next time I see him...if we all survive this."

M's lips pursed into a thin line. "Right, so what is the plan?"

Bond looks back at her and says. "We need to go back in time."

M chuckles "So my transformation will be complete...when do you suggest..1968 was a good year."

Bond laughed "Yes it was, for me anyway."

M remembers it is the year he was born. "That was the year I met Nigel."

Bond just nods in understanding and continues to drive. "First we have to dump the company car so they can't track us."

M looked at Bond through the mirror "Yes but what happened at base….How many hurt in his escape?"

Bond wished he did not have to tell her. "The two guards. He escaped through the hatch in the floor before I could reach him. He led me on a merry chase through the underground and tried to drop a train on my head."

M looked at him "A whole train? Were their people on board?"

Bond shook his head in the negative.

M looked miserable "How on earth did you survive it?"

Bond smiled. "I ran fast and ducked out-of-the-way, a perfectly normal day at the office. Once I knew his target was the hearing I was even more highly motivated to get the bastard."

M closes her eyes and leans back on the seat. "What about the courtroom? I think Mallory saved me from the first shot. Tanner and I each took a prong from a taser and it had little effect."

"Mallory was hit but I don't think too badly. He was laying down covering fire with Eve when I got there. The guards took the brunt of it but I don't think any one of the spectators or politicians took a hit...Were here."

Bond had pulled down an ally and climbed out. He had called Q and told them his plan and then they dumped their cell phones. He would buy them burner phones when they stopped for petrol and supplies. It's going to be a long night.

M had climbed out and put on her wool coat that was in the back of the car.

Bond opens the garage door and admires the beauty within.

M looks at the car and then at Bond shaking her head and smiling.

"We really are going back in time and _that_ is not at all conspicuous."

They climbed in and Bond started her up and they took off quickly.

M slumped in her seat. "Not very comfortable is it?"

Bond's hand moved to flip-up the gear knob, his thumb hovering over a big red eject button.

M scoffed "Go ahead eject me see if I care."

Bond flipped it back down and looked over at her. "You make it very tempting sometimes."

M looked him in the eyes. "It's my job not to be easy to deal with...where are you taking me 007?"

"Scotland, to my home…Skyfall. No technology there that Silva can use against us."

M stared out the window of the car as London passed by. "Well, it is as good a place as any to make our last stand."

Bond frowned. "You make it sound so fatal. I do usually make it back alive as you well know."

M considered his rather extensive track record of women left dead in his mission files including one that he loved.

M continued to stare out the window and spoke quietly. "Yes,…you do but the women don't, do they?"

It was a rhetorical question and Bond just nods and grips the steering wheel tighter.

That is not going to happen this time. Things are changing, Séverine survived, not because of him but she is alive.

The difference is that he had sex with all of those women. Bond has not known M in that sense and is praying that it will save her in the end.

Bond is not about to point that out to her on the long drive to Scotland. He doesn't need 8 hours of bollocking from her.

What Bond needs from M now is the fight to survive.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Bond makes a quick stop for fuel and supplies. M selects some jeans, shirts, socks and sweaters while Bond looks after his baby. M buys a pair of trainers so she can remove the boots that Tanner and Bond were so fascinated with.

Bond picks up some food, drinks and disposable cell phones for emergency only. He programmes in Q's number in each along with each other's incase they get separated.

Bond hands M her phone as they climbed back in the car. With all the cameras around he is certain that Silva will not need a breadcrumb for this particular stop. He hopes not to stop anywhere public again. They eat and travel in relative silence. Both concentrating on the task at hand and surviving the next two days is the goal.

Bond has stared down murderous dictators and M holds her own against anyone but they find themselves terrified of conversation with each other. The sly glances and intense glances of the last few week result in a tense atmosphere between them on the drive.

James breaks the silence "we have a long way to go and I cannot guess how long before he finds us. You should really get some sleep."

"I am tired…are you sure you are all right to drive the entire way? I could drive for a while…"

James looked over at her with an expression that says _over my dead body_.

M snuggled down in her coat and closes her eyes. M's tired and conversation with Bond could lead into dangerous waters that she doesn't want to fall into.

M does not want to discuss Mallory, her retirement, the tension between Bond and herself or Silva...Deffinately not Silva...She cannot get his grotesque features out of her mind. Imagining him kissing her again like he did on the island...with that mouth...makes her almost physically ill...whatever dreams may come, will not be pleasant.

Bond watches M through the corner of his eye. She is trying to sleep and when she does doze off it is not peaceful...how could it be with a homicidal maniac chasing them the length of Britain. Bond wishes he could comfort her but any platitudes would sound empty...he is a realist and knows they may not live through this.

Maybe he should turn around and give her to Mallory...maybe he could protect her...keep her safe in London. Silva would find a way in through the bloody subterranean levels where the damn rat belongs. Give her to Mallory and run the risk of loosing her and many others in London or traipse off to Scotland and hope that the house will defend them.

Mallory is not a coward that is certain. He ran right into the line of fire trying to get to M. Bond believes in giving credit where it's due and he saw him dive over that desk to pull her out-of-the-way as he came in the room. Maybe Mallory has what it takes to be the new head of MI6 after all. It doesn't mean he has to like the man but he has earned his respect.

Bond understands Mallory's motivation to save M, maybe he should have had Q contact him and not Tanner. Tanner never could stand up to her if she declined to leave...likely the case with M.

M suddenly says "NO" in her dreams just like on the plane returning from China. Bond looks down on her...christ he wishes he could take the nightmares away from her...he's use to them...she deserves better.

They arrive in Scotland near Glen Coe when M wakes and James is not in the car. She gets out and joins him gazing at the house down the hill.

She looks at Bond and is about to say something trivial, like "oh so this is where you grew up."

That will be unwelcome small talk and a lie, M knows the story, and orphans always make the best recruits.

They descend to the grand stone house and Bond enters first. M takes her own pistol out of her bag and follows Bond. Much to Bond's dismay the gun-room is empty, all but his father's hunting rifle.

Dogs are barking in the distance and Bond gets the drop on the intruder. Kincade the old groundskeeper, who had a hand in raising Bond saw the light and came to investigate.

Bond gives Kincade the condensed version of why they are here. The three of them look at what they have available and begin preparing for invasion. Kincade gallantly gives M a tartan scarf to ward off the chill.

Bond and Kincade go out shooting while M continues making her bombs and exploring the house. M is dusty and getting cold so she makes her way upstairs to clean up and changed into the clothes she picked up.

Kincade asks James about his work and why someone wants to kill the two of them. James is cryptic in his responses.

James tells Kincade that if he is going to help them he has to do exactly what James says and to make sure M gets out of this alive.

Kincade nods. "You love that girl don't you boy?"

Bond looks him right in the eye. "More than anything…and don't let her hear you call her girl. She is as old as you are old man."

Kincade looks aghast. "Right and I'm the King of Scotland!"

Bond smiles. "It's a story for another day, if we survive."

Kincade promises to get her out through the priest-hole if needed. Kincade leaves to the shed to tend to his shotgun.

Bond heads inside but there is no sign of M. James' heart starts to beat faster, listening for a clue and praying that no one has slipped in the back and taken her.

Bond hears movement upstairs and bounds up them two at a time to see a door near the end of the hall slightly ajar.

Bond has his Walther in his hand a pushes the door open quietly with his left. M's bare back is to him as she is facing the bed and he freezes in place staring at her lovely jean clad behind. M is only half covered with a towel around her shoulders, her hair and face dripping with water.

On hearing the noise M whips around, startled but with her pistol in her hand.

"Bond…what the hell!"

M has a towel draped over her breasts obscuring them from his view but he's enjoying the view regardless. He notices her lace bra on the bed with her new and discarded clothes.

"You were missing downstairs and I…." Bond licks his lips as she drops her gun on the bed behind her and moves slowly, seductively towards him. She smiles at him as she puts one of her hands on the door, the other on the frame and starts pushing it closed forcing him physically out into the hall.

Bond leans against the wall and tries to calm his breathing. That is the most erotic thing he has ever seen in his life. Bond is no amateur in the art of seduction but he thinks the tables have just been turned on him.

Sadly, Bond doesn't think it is intentional on her part...M doesn't realize what she's doing to him. Every moment with her has meaning to him. Every action, smile and acerbic comment, is for him gloriously beautiful...he is too damn lost in her.

Bond needs to keep his head straight to kill Silva... once he saves M he will make her see what she means to him. Bond has never had this much trouble getting a woman in his adult life...this is one of the multitude of reasons he is so desperate for her.

M opens the door in a white t-shirt under her white suit blouse, her white lacy bra still enticing visible beneath, and her coat draped over her arm.

Bond smiles at her. "That was hotter than watching you taking shots of Silva's Scotch in a low-cut blue ball gown."

M scoffs at the remark. "If I believed that I really would be a naïve woman."

Bond gulps and looked down at his pants. "How much more believable do I have to make it?"

James moves quickly towards M before he understands what he is even going to do. James has the overwhelming need to be close to her at this moment. James reaches out and put his hands on her shoulders.

Bond is staring intently at her mouth and is about to kiss her when the door bangs open downstairs interrupting them.

M's mesmerized by Bond's eyes and his obvious arousal at seeing her half-dressed. Bond moved towards her so quickly she did not even have time to come up with a smart retort to his comments on her appearance. She swallows hard and distractedly heads downstairs to finish any last-minute preparations. James waits a few minutes to collect himself before following down the stairs.

M ponders what just happened, Bond's not just flirting for the sake of getting her riled up. If they had not been interrupted James would have kissed her.

_It was just a case of mission excitement._ However, M knows that if Bond kissed her upstairs she would have kissed him back. Acknowledging this to herself surprises and angers her as much as it might shock James. This is not the time or place...there may never be a time or place...for the two of them.

The preparations for Silva's eventual attack are complete. Bond stands by the window and M sits on the sofa ensconced in gloom, with her gun dangling in her hand.

"I really fucked this one up, didn't I?"

Bond simply looks at her. "No, you did your job…I read you obituary of me…appalling."

M looked up. "Yes, I knew you would hate it. I did call you an exemplar of British fortitude."

"I liked that bit." James looked at her and can see how tired she is.

James can read defeat in her eyes. His brows narrow as he realize he is going to have to make her fight for her life. M's about to let the stress and improbabilities of the last few months bury her.

"M, you're not giving up are you? We are here and we are still breathing so there is a chance…"

M looks up at him, sadness and regret written all over her lovely face.

James moves towards her and drops to his knees in front of her. He reaches out his rough hand and caresses her face. James presses his forehead against hers and whispers. "M...I love you."

M pulls back in shock. "WHAT?"

"You heard me. I know that Silva is an animal and he will try to kill us or me at least but I need to have you fight with me with all you've got."

Bond takes both her hands in his. He can tell that she doesn't believe him, he can't blame her really, he's paid and instructed by her to seduce women and he is damn good at it.

Bond would never seduce her...he has too much respect for her...it would mean...more...so much more with her. Damn it! How can he explain it to M when he can't even explain it to himself. He has to try...

"You're here in this place, with me drowning in the past…It may seem like a darkness is coming to take you down into the arms of your late husband and while that may reassure you…those who love you...can see that you have been given the gift of a second chance...why can't you? You're desperately attempting to ignore this second chance and your beauty, because you feel uncomfortable about it."

"James…I don't know what to say…"

"Damn it! You are the most stubborn woman I have ever known!" Bond wonders if he is getting through to her at all.

"I LOVE YOU!…Christ M, even Kincade can see it written on my face and I haven't seen the man in twenty years! Why can't, or won't you see!"

A silent tear drops gently from one of M's eyes. She closes them trying to shut away the fear, pain and tears that are threatening to overwhelm her.

_To hell with it_. M reaches up to James's shoulder, blinks away her tears and like a switch flicked on, she pulls James to her and kisses him soundly.

James' surprise doesn't last long nor does he need any further prompting. His arms reach around her and pull her to him as he deepens the kiss. They continue kissing as M's tongue fights his for dominance causing him to moan into her mouth.

M makes sweet purring sounds that are driving him stark raving mad. James holds her so tightly against him that he wonders for a second if he might be hurting her but she gives no sign of stopping anytime soon.

Their bodies are flush together. Bond puts his hands under her shirts and touches the bare skin of her back that he spied a short time before. He continues pushing her into the sofa while he enjoys the taste of her mouth and the feel of her skin. Bond can't remember having a more passionate kiss in his life.

James pours his whole heart and soul into it, trying to imprint the memory of everything he has loved life in his life in this one-act. The contact with her body is shooting static electric pulses over his skin. All his hairs are standing on end like never before. If he could live in only one moment of his entire life, this would be that moment...it might very well be one of his last...

Danger sex has always been a thing for him. Bond doesn't want this to end the same way his usual conquests do, with the woman in a body bag. It goes against every fibre of his being Bond but he knows he has to stop this. James breaks the kiss with a savage groan.

They gaze at each other, panting as if waiting for something to break the spell.

M practically cries "James why did you stop?"

"I can't…not now….It will put you in too much danger...I don't what...it...to be like this...I want to take my time with you."

M caresses the side of his face "oh…my dear boy…" She starts kissing the side of James' face trailing kisses down his neck. M is trying to make him continue...kissing her...making her feel as young as she appears.

Bond closes his eyes swallowing hard trying to rein in any semblance of control. His entire body is vibrating with pent-up need for her. Bond feels a trail of moisture slip down his cheek as she calls him _her dear boy_. He wants to scream in frustration but it manifests itself as a loud groan.

James pulls away from M, takes her hands away from his face and holds them in his own. Forcing her to stop feathering kisses on his face and neck.

Bond keeps his eyes riveted on her tiny hands because he cannot trust himself to look at her. If Bond sees any passion in her eyes he won't be able to stop himself.

The heavens falling from the sky could not stop him from having her right here on the dusty old sofa, in this ancestral pile of stones he once called home.

James remembers a line from Shakespeare that always struck him in his youth and it fits M perfectly. It comes out of him as an involuntary whisper "_there is witchcraft in your kiss_."

M feels her face, flush with heat like she has not felt since suffering menopause. Bond is far more restrained and romantic than she had ever dreamed possible. That he cannot even look at her is telling enough...not much intimidates James Bond.

Bond is hers, this glorious man with a tormented soul needs her as much as she apparently needs him. M knew James had feelings for her on an intellectual level but never dreamed that they were...so...well...sexually...intense.

M admits to herself that she's terrified of getting close to him...she's not sure she wants it to grow into something…more…something…so...intense and physical...but..Yes..damn it...YES...she wants him...to hell with everything and everyone else!

M understands what Bond is, and what he has been through. The two of them have shared much more than they thought over the years. Bond has a better understanding of her feelings for him also. They have crossed the invisible line of thinly veiled propriety between them and their need each other is savage.

So this is what it is like to be on a mission with James Bond...it all makes more sense to her now, why the women fall to the floor over him. James is not just a pretty face but he is her pretty face now.

M feels the sting of betrayal for her husbands memory, but Nigel is gone and she and Bond are very much alive.

There is no way that M can hide behind a desk, her age or the memory of her late husband after that kiss. Bond, her best agent has weakened her resolve. James Bond has stolen a chunk of her old heart over the years.

The alcohol induced kiss that she shared with Mallory had been that of timid strangers caught in a moment. It was shocking and exciting but nothing like the kiss she just shared with James.

M shakes her hands free from James' grasp and starts to stroke his cheeks again, trying to get him to look at her again...to see the intensity in his eyes that is surely reflected in her own.

The dogs start barking in the distance.

M laughs at the futile nature of their situation.

Finally entwined in each other's arms...balanced on the blade of a knife.

Silva is here.

Their time is up.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

London

Mallory, Tanner and Q are in the lab looking at a map of Scotland. Mallory asks for an update.

Q looks at the map. "They should have arrived by now. I have the GPS co-ordinates for Bond's estate it's the blue dot on the map."

Tanner looks at the dot blinking on the map. "Should we send back up…I mean Silva is a bloody mad man and It won't take him long to find them."

Mallory appears concerned. "Where is the closest military base? Please mark it on the map Q. Tanner contact them and give them the go ahead to leave for rescue on our call. Make sure they have a medic team…Bond's track record is not good for collateral damage."

Tanner nods and gets busy, worried about Mallory said. There were a string of dead agents and women left in the wake of most of Bond's missions and he prays that M will not join them.

Scotland

Silva's men spread out and Bond picks off at least 5 at the front door with the machine guns in the Austin. Kincade gets two entering the house.

M's bombs take care of two and the floorboards take out another.

M hides behind an archway in the dinning room when she hears another man enter the room.

M shoots at him and misses.

He shoots towards her as M throws herself back behind the stone arch and smashes her head against the stone.

M sits in a daze waiting for the man to come finish her off, when she hears Bond.

"Are you hurt?"

"Only my pride...So much for Silva wanting me alive."

Bond frowns at her. "He will have to get through me first."

None of the dead are Silva, another wave is coming.

A song blares over a PA system on an approaching massive military helicopter.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom.

Gonna shoot you right down.

Gonna take you in my arms.

I'm in love with you,

Love that is true.

Boom, boom, boom, boom.

I like the way you talk.

I like the way you walk."

Bond's amazed at the appropriateness of the song. The way he and Silva think of M...

"He likes a dramatic entrance doesn't he?"

M grabs his hand and squeezes. Bond pulls her hand to his lips and looks longingly at her. There is fear in her eyes. "Please, in the tunnel with you. I will catch up…I promise."

M looks at him wanting to say so many things.

Bond looks deeply into her eyes wishing there was more time.

Bond orders her and Kincade into the priest-hole.

M turns locking eyes with him and then she disappears down into the dark with Kincade.

M feels a piercing pain in her side as she descends into the tunnel.

Bond hopes to hell he survives to make her his wife if she will have him. He plans on spending his life with M if they get out of this.

M's hand comes away from her side with blood on it. It's not too bad...she hopes. M thinks it's just a flesh wound...please just be a flesh wound...She takes the scarf Kincade gave her and ties it tightly around her waist. Kincade looks at her with a question on his lips.

"I've been hit, Mr. Kincade but I...I don't think it's...bad. When we get out on the moor, I will head to the chapel and you go get a vehicle incase we need to escape by road. Please take this phone and call the number under Q when you find a signal. Tell them we need back up and that M says hurry."

He agrees and they make their way through the tunnel and out on the moor.

Silva shouts over the din of the helicopter and waves it away.

"Nobody dares to touch her, she's MINE!"

Silva is prancing around the outside of the house, tossing grenades in the shattered window and doors.

"Can Mother come out and play James?"

Bond yells as he tries to find a way out of this situation. "Why don't you come in and get her!"

After dogging grenades Bond drags the propane tanks from the kitchen and put them in the dinning room with two sticks of dynamite on top. He lights the fuse and runs for the priest hole. Bond hopes luck will be on his side and it will kill that sick, twisted bastard. There is a massive explosion as the tanks blow and the helicopter goes down.

Bond rushes into the tunnel before the explosion destroys the house.

M sees the explosion as she and Kincade separate and she heads to the chapel. M is getting dizzy from the blow to her head. She feels for the bump on her head and finds a small cut. It is slowly dripping blood and starting to coat her hair. She uses the torch to prevent herself from falling on the rough terrain as she heads to the chapel.

Silva's furious at the loss of the helicopter. Is she dead?...He did not mean for it to end this way...Bond needed to die but M...he wanted more from her...she owed it to him. His air transport is gone but there are still some trucks the men arrived in...he needs to get her away from here somewhere MI6 cannot reach her. Silva is running through the escape scenarios in his head...she is hiding somewhere...he will take her to one of his islands so she can never leave him...a light...

Silva sees the light out on the moor and knows where she is. He knows if Bond survived the blast he will try to save her...keep M from him. Silva plans on being the last rat, the one who gets M.

Silva barks orders to the remaining men to look for Bond as he trudges towards the small chapel on the moor.

Bond hits the moor at a run when he sees the light in the window. He kicks one of Silva's men so hard in the head that he dies instantly. The fastest way is across the frozen lake. James has to reach M before Silva...he just has too.

Silva sees Bond and stops to taunt him while his hired man comes up behind him on the pond.

Bond really is a worthy adversary. "Well,…James...mother's calling. I will give her a goodbye kiss for you and more..."

James grabs the gun and shoots the ice on the pond falling into the icy water with the mercenary.

Silva shrugs, laughs and heads to the steps of the chapel calling "I'm home mother."

Silva enters the cold dark chapel. The only light, coming from the distant flickering fire of the ancestral home of James Bond.

"Of coarse…it would be here…this place…perfect."

M is sitting on the front pew resting and checking her wound when she hears him enter.

She rises slowly and turns to him too tired physically and emotionally to run anymore.

James must have died in the explosion. Tears well up in her eyes for what could have been.

Silva came up to her with a gun in his hand. M begins to swoon and he grabs her.

"What have they done to you my darling?" He looks at her body pulling open her coat searching for the wound.

Silva touches the blood on her head and then touches his bloody finger to his lips to taste the metallic taste of her life's blood. Silva looks down at her with a lusty gaze. He puts his bloody fingers on her lips staining them with her own blood. His red fingers then trail down her throat towards her chest.

Silva rests her on the step as he tears open her blouse and rips open her blood stained t-shirt. He sees that the wound is just a flesh wound on her side tied up in a scarf.

M is shaking now from fear, blood loss and possibly shock.

Why…why, is he the one who survived?

Silva's touch is surprisingly gentle as if he's afraid of breaking her. His hands make shivers crawl all over her body.

M breaks the spell "What are you planning on doing Tia…"

"I knew you remembered my name, my love…I always thought you were the mother…lover...the creator…I wanted to kill the both of us to stop this,…this…torment. Now it is just the two of us and I can forgive you…I can…we can join together on this altar and become one."

Silva has waited almost twenty years to have sex with or kill Olivia Mansfield.

"No...Don't!" M starts to cry.

"I was going to fly you away to one of my islands...MI6 will assume that you died...now that James is dead we have time...Only you can heal my torn soul..._Olivia._"

Silva remembers how sweet she tasted on the island and has thought of little else since.

M starts to panic as he presses his lips to hers, forcing his tongue into her mouth. The image of his deformity entering her mind. M tries hitting and pushing him away but damn him for being so huge and strong. Silva's hand moves over her breast squeezing tightly while he continues kissing her.

James enters the chapel and sees Silva holding M in a passionate embrace and instinctively throws the knife into the bastards back.

Suddenly Silva's head jerks up and he growls, releasing her. Silva stands up and turns around a vicious look of pure hatred on his face.

M sits up and sees a knife in Silva's back.

Silva stumbles towards James growling and cursing as he collapses. James looks down on him in disgust. As if this animal could even remotely understand loyalty and perseverance.

"Last rat standing."

M pulls herself up holding on to the pew and says shakily "007, What took you so long?"

Bond tilts his head "I got into a bit of deep water."

Bond smiles at her ability to chastise and banter with him even in this situation. He wants to kiss her so badly but...Bond frowns as he moves closer.

The flicker of the house on fire cast odd shadows about the Kirk. Bond can make out that M's clothes are hanging off her and there is a fair amount of blood. He begins to panic and moves forward faster.

M swoons again and James runs forward to cradle her in his arms. The sound of arriving helicopters in the air.

"I suppose it is too late to run for it." M smiles up weekly at James.

"I'm game if you are." Bond's confused and panic is about to set in. When the hell did she get shot? Why didn't she say something! He would kill her if he couldn't possibly live without her.

Kincade enters thorough the side door and Bond looks at him with questions in his eyes.

Bond examines M's torn shirts and scarf tied around a bloody wound at her waist more closely. M's hair matted with blood and she's loosing consciousness.

Kincade points. "There here for her boy…she had me call Q and tell them to get their asses moving."

Bond smiles at him and then down at her as he scoops her up in his arms giving her a quick kiss and runs out the door to the medics that better damn well be waiting.

"Hold on love...the cavalry is here."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

James runs beside M's stretcher while doctors and nurses tried to usher him away for treatment. "I want to be in the same room as her!"

M looks so pale in the cruel hospital light. There are bloody fingerprints on her face and trailing down her neck. Evidence of Silva's hands on her. Damn it! Bond tries to erase the image of Silva kissing her. Every time he closes his eyes the image of Silva holding her erupts and makes him want to vomit with rage.

Rage...rage he felt when he entered the chapel...he doesn't even remember the knife leaving his hand.

Silva will never touch her again.

The staff know better than to argue with him, just by the look of him and the helicopter full of armed men that brought them to hospital. A nurse assures him that he'll be placed in the same room as M.

Of course the staff is just saying what ever he wants to hear. It depends on if she survives..._god please let her_ _live_...he can't...go on...he killed at least a dozen men to keep her safe...he can't have failed...too much...too painful...

Kincade takes Bond's arm and physically drags him away from M.

"BOY! Let them do their work...the lassie needs them more than you right now!"

Bond then starts to shake with the cold and fear that settles into his bones as the adrenaline dissipates.

Nurses usher him into a room and start working on him…he barely notices. Silent tears burn tracks down his face as he stares at his blood covered hands...her blood and his blood mix on his hands...the staff continues to work with him. They ask questions but all he can do is move his head in response.

Kincade stays nearby until they usher him out and away.

They remove his blood stained wet clothing wrapping him in warm blankets before they take him to x-ray. After x-rays, they help him into a warm shower. This helps get his temperature up to normal and cleans the smoke, blood and death off him.

They place him in a hospital bed to wait for the doctor. Bond keeps looking at his hands wanting to see her blood still there. At least he would have something of hers with him...

A doctor enters with Bond's x-rays and a frown on her face. "Mr. Bond, I see that this is not the first time you have cracked or broken ribs. I will not presume to know what it is that you do for a living but I suggest retirement in your near future. I have already been contacted by a special branch of the government, insisting that all records about you and the un-named female be purged from our systems. These physical records are to leave the hospital with you."

"How is she...is she alright? TELL ME!"

"She is getting care and assuming that you are not the next of kin...I cannot tell you much more but my colleagues are working on her as we speak."

James looks her in the eyes, deadly serious.

"I am...her fiancé and even if I wasn't you **_would_** tell me because of that special branch of the government that has already contacted you."

The Doctor notices the intensity in his gaze, it would be hard not to with those incredible eyes of his. She decides not to fight him with proper hospital procedure. Nothing about this will be in the system anyway...she's positive they're MI5.

"Let me go find out for you and then I will be administering a sedative so that you can rest. Mr. Bond you will have to take it easy for the next month to heal properly."

Bond watches her leave the room and breathes slowly, noticing the pain in his ribs that he was ignoring until now. His skin looks and feels like it's burnt from the explosions or the cold water. The waiting seems like an eternity.

A nurse arrives to give him a shot. Bond stops her. "I don't want anything until I know she's alright."

The doctor returns within the hour with a smile on her face. "Your future wife had surgery repairing a bullet wound on her side. She has some stitches on her head from a cut and a concussion. She has been given some blood and will be good as new given time to heal properly. I will send the nurse back in to administer a sedative and pain-killer so you can get some well needed rest."

Bond couldn't wipe the smile off his face if he tried...his future wife...alive and kicking...they won!

He had better get the chance to talk to her before the hospital staff calls her Ms. Bond or she will have his guts for garters.

Kincade is out in the hall worried for the lad. If the little lassie dies he doesn't think the boy will be able to handle it. He has seen what grief like that did to James as a boy.

Kincade is given permission to enter as the doctor leaves.

Bond lays there with a massive grin the likes of which Kincade hasn't seen since James was a lad.

"Good you're here. Could you do me a favour? Could you get us both some new clothing and my mother's ring if you can?"

Kincade smiles knowing that their Emma is fine. "Aye laddie, I know where I put the jewels, if you were ever in need of them. I will bring you the lot of them. It's about time you found a lady worthy of them lad."

12 hours later:

When Bond awoke he is in a double room. He can hear blips of the machines that for once are not for him. His head is stiff but he manages to turn to his side to see the tiny sleeping form of M in the next bed.

Bond climbs out of his bed to look at her more closely. She looks so calm, not like how she usually looks at work or around him.

Bond goes to the far side of his own bed and releases the wheels. He pushes his bed up beside hers and climbs back in. He takes her hand in his and falls back into a peaceful sleep.

M wakes up and feels lighter somehow, she is more than a little sore but alive.

She's not dead and James is lying beside her...holding her hand...nothing could be more perfect.

Bond is smiling down at her. "So sleeping beauty is finally awake."

"I bet I look a fright, but better than the alternative...is...is...he gone?"

"Yes, the men 6 sent made sure. I am sorry I wasn't there sooner, before he…"

"You survived and that is what matters most James." M caresses his cheek.

M's glad that James carrying her was not a dream...that he really did kill Silva...he saved her.

The staff enters to look them over and bring them some much-needed food and drink. A nurse helps M to the washroom and they allow her to shower carefully. M is thankfully cleansed of the smoke and grime of Skyfall.

All the while M is thinking on the events of the past few days. In this moment she is Olivia Mansfield again, not M. She is a 76 year-old widow that looks 37, with two children, three grandchildren and a 44 year-old...lover...well...future lover. Could her life get any stranger?

Scotland is certainly more exciting than she expected.

Olivia has an overwhelming need to see her children and grandchildren...have them eventually meet James. Family is all that really matters.

Why did it take her so damn long to figure this out? Amazing how near death experiences tend to clarify such matters.

M climbs back into her bed beside James and smiles at him feeling sore but clean and happy. The nurses give her some more painkillers as they do for James.

James gives her a report while they lie facing each other. "Mallory and Tanner will be here in a few days to take our reports. Kincade has offered to let us recover at his house if you would like."

"Yes...yes...good idea. James, the two of us...will have to go slow...to heal and deal with the aftermath of Silva."

Bond nods in understanding hoping she has not gone off the idea of the two of them together...he could not handle...no...that kiss...that kiss did not lie.

M thinks it best if most of MI6 believe she died at the hands of Silva. Any other enemies that may want revenge would also believed that she died at Skyfall. Mallory, Tanner and Q will have to know and maybe Moneypenny but the rest of the organization will have to believe her dead.

"Can I borrow your phone to contact Mallory? I need to fake my death and I may have to disappear for a while."

James looks at her like she pulled a knife on him. "What are you talking about? I thought we were in this together!"

"James!" She looks at him all serious. "This is why I need to talk to Mallory. I think I may have to seem to die…disappear, as far as the rest of the world will know. I need to go…give Mallory time to take proper control of MI6…"

"What! Not without me you don't!"

Olivia patted his hand. "James dear, they may give you a month off for recovery but you will have to work again. It's your duty...you will have to keep me a secret..."

James was getting angry. "Sod duty, I will not spend another moment away from you…or have you gone off the idea of us…now that we are not in mortal danger? Really, _Olivia_ I never took you for a woman who got off on danger sex!"

"James! How dare you…we did not have _sex_ and there is a lot I have to take care of before I'm ready for anything...between us...to happen!"

James scowls dangerously at her "No I will not let you die! You're not spending _any time with_ _Mallory_...you will preferably be away from _all men_ excluding myself for the rest of my life!"

Olivia is now getting all riled up. As if…how dare he…the gall of the man.

"It's a wonder you let the doctors touch me to heal me!"

Some of the nursing staff could hear the yelling and came into the room.

The two patients looked up and said in unison. "Can we get out of here, now!"

Because of M's agitated state they remove Bond from her room. They need to let these two lovers cool down.

Kincade returns just as the shouting subsides and James is getting booted from Emma's room. He gives Emma's clothing to a nurse and keeps James entertained while the nurses swarm around him changing the binding on his cracked ribs.

Within the hour the two are getting dressed in the clothing that Kincade brought them.

James waits in the hall-way for the doctors to finish seeing how M's wounds are healing. A nurse arrives with a bag of medication in Bond's name. His doctor arrives moments later with a list of instructions for him to follow...he can tell she knows he will toss it as soon as he leaves.

Kincade stays with him wondering what had started the fight that got the two of these stubborn lovers all riled up.

M is furious with James questioning her orders. She does not need his permission to do what needs to be done.

James' jealousy was flattering at first but now is a tad too obsessive for her liking. M just survived an attack from someone who's obsession with her destroyed bloody buildings...argh...

What the hell is she going to do? Christ she loves the boy...man...but this...this...she cannot tolerate...what if it does not work out between them? Is he another Silva in the making?

The thought is enough for M to end this farce even before it starts. If she didn't want him so damn much...BOND...why on earth did she have to fall for...James bloody BOND!

M takes the opportunity to calm down and speak with Tanner and Mallory...M on the phone. M describes her idea about the death of her alias, Emma Smith. Tanner is very relieved to hear her voice and is more than happy to create a false life echoing her own. Emma Smith's life ended tragically in a terrorist attack at Skyfall.

Tanner asks M if she wants him to contact her children on her behalf and fill them in on the ruse.

"That would be greatly appreciated Mr. Tanner and ask the two of them if they will visit the flat in London soon. Please use a picture for the press report but use one from last year and announce my age as well."

Tanner assured her that he would look after everything and he would see her in a couple of days. Tanner will have to begin funeral arrangements on her behalf also.

M did not expect her children to drop everything but hoped that they would want to see her considering her death would be plastered all over the news soon and they would officially know what her job has been for the last two decades.

A nurse arrives with M's discharge papers including all the physical medical records for the two of them. There are a list of instruction for her and a bag of medications. M thanks the nurse as the doctors arrive to inspect their work one last time.

M exits the room not really wanting to have another row with James but she mentally prepares for that possibility.

Kincade comes up to M and gives her a gentle hug. "So glad to see the light in your eyes lassie."

Bond eyes the old man suspiciously and clears his throat.

M rolls her eyes at his insinuation. Bond is driving her mad with his jealous attitude.

Kincade observed the silent display between them and slaps a box into James' hand. Kincade takes M's hand in the crook of his arm and walks her out of hospital towards the car.

"I know the little prat needs a harsh word now and then but lassie don't be too hard on him. He loves you as much as he is able. If his jealousy is anything to go on, it's a good deal more than he has likely loved anyone else in his life."

Olivia squeezes his arm and tosses her head back with a lusty laugh. Kincade is such a gentleman. He's steadfastly loyal, good with a quip and a gun all the things she admires in a man...things she admires in James.

"I do pity any man who says hello to you on the street…I've seen the boy shoot…MI6 he tells me…and you the top lady…that must be something?"

"I'm not the top lady anymore. I'm retired and this was my last mission and my first out in the field…what a disaster. My real name is Olivia and I would be grateful if you called me that Mr. Kincade."

James follows the two of them sulking like a petulant school boy. He has his mother's ring but this is definitely not the right time to ask...she is too pissed at him...a romantic evening...hopefully soon...very soon.

Kincade opened the car door for Olivia, she turns and kisses him on the lips.

Kincade closed the car door, turning back to James with a huge grin on his weathered face.

"Boy, that is one fine lady but don't let your daft thick head ruin a good thing. Show some damn patience with this one or you will frighten her away. If she is as old as you claim...I will give you a little education. The elder think long and hard on a thing…not like the young, we pay attention to the details and don't feel the need to rush. Special moments in life become important to those of us nearer to the end than the beginning. Give her the respect she is due for having had the grace to be around this long in her line of work."

Bond grasped Kincade's arms and smiled. "How does a man who never left this area get so wise about the worldliness of women?"

Kincade winked. "You know laddie, there are a fair group of women who come to visit Scotland and it is not just for the scenery."

The two men share a hearty laugh.

Kincade adds, glancing at Olivia in the car. "If your lady were not so enamoured with your petulant ass I would be asking her to the pub in a minute."

James scowled at him. "Don't think that just because you raised me I won't kick your ass old man."

Kincade laughed. "That I would like to see you try, _boy._"

James got in the back with Olivia and Kincade got in the driver's seat.

"Look, I have to apologize and tell you that I will wait for how ever long it takes for you to finish what you need to do. Or Kincade will hit me upside my head."

Olivia laughs and takes James' hand in hers. "Thank you for that Mr. Kincade and thank you for offering to take us to your home to convalesce."

Kincade's reflection winks into the rear-view mirror. "I wouldn't have it any other way lassie."

James lowers his voice and looks at her intently. "I have alway taken orders from you Olivia, but now that you are not the boss, the rules have to change. I promise, to be more patient...less jealous and we will go as slowly as _you_ wish. I don't want to screw this up... this...you are my...future..."

Olivia smiles and breathes a sigh of relief. Maybe James can be tamed after all...she is damn well willing to try...the next month of healing will be the most difficult of her life.

They will learn and get use to each others company before becoming physical. Their courtship will be old-fashioned, but he is worth the wait. The future will be interesting to say the least.

If James becomes too...overheated...she can always dump him back into a cold Scottish loch.

"One more order James." Olivia says in mock seriousness. "Kiss me, Mr. Bond."

Kincade rolls his eyes and smiles into the mirror.

James smiles and winks at her. "With pleasure M, with pleasure."

_Fin_.

007007007007007007007007007007007007/MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

I don't own anything...normal disclaimers. Skyfall belongs to others I merely played with it.

I would like to thank all those who sent me nice reviews and words of encouragement on my first fan fiction story. I have considered continuing this story but I could very well end it here on a nice peaceful note.

Thank you again for the reviews and messages.


	23. Chapter 23

Aftermath of Skyfall: Continuation of the story Corrections.

Standard disclaimers, the characters are not mine.

A car pulled up to the cottage the next day. Mallory, Tanner and Eve Moneypenny exit the vehicle and walk up to the cottage. Tanner knocks at the door. They wait but there is no answer.

Mallory looks at Tanner slightly annoyed. "They know we are coming don't they Mr. Tanner?"

"Yes sir, I spoke with Bond myself and his friend Mr. Kincade."

Moneypenny looks around the area and starts to walk around the cottage. Tanner and Mallory follow her and as they round the right corner of the cottage they hear a squeal and a splash.

The three of them pull out their weapons and proceed cautiously around the cottage.

The sight that greats them is a soaked James Bond attempting to climb out of a cold creek with his fishing pole and a jubilant M holding up her successful catch. M is dry on the bank laughing at her soaked agent.

The scene is joyous and fun. Bond rushes forward towards M, picking her up in his strong arms making her drop her catch and squeal in shock. He cradles her as gently as he can due to their injuries and begins to spin her around when he spies three intruders.

Bond freezes. "Oh, shit!"

He forgot to tell M they were coming…they didn't waste anytime getting here.

M follows his gaze and smiles at the three unexpected guests.

"James! Put me down…we have guests."

Mallory takes in the scene and M's use of Bond's first name with some trepidation.

It had only been two days since being released from hospital and spending time recovering at Kincade's cottage. Mallory hoped that they had not been up to anything…to strenuous since being released from Doctor's care.

James put M down and they walked to meet their guests.

M spoke first "So good to see you all, please come inside."

Tanner stepped forward and gave M a surprising hug and then Eve did the same. As the two of them stood back they looked towards Mallory who looked like he was trying to make a very difficult decision.

Throwing caution to the wind he stepped forward and envelopes her in a gentle hug with his one good arm.

Bond watches Mallory hug M. Every cold wet muscle in his body tenses, ready to intervene any time during this intolerably long embrace.

Bond could not take much more "Ok…ok lets get out of the cold so we can have a cup and I can change out of these wet clothes."

Mallory reluctantly releases M whispering in her ear how he is so relieved that she survived the attack by Silva. M smiles at him is careful to avoid jostling his injured shoulder.

They move into Kincade's small kitchen as M readies the kettle and Bond excuses himself to go get changed from his dip in the creek.

"How is your arm, Gareth…oh sorry…M? I never had the chance to thank you for saving me from that shot."

"It will be fine with time and it was my honour Ma'am…Ms. Mansfield."

"Oh that's right you can all call me by my name now…please call me Olivia, I will have to get use to not being M."

Tanner looks at Eve and they both say, "nice to meet you Olivia…"

Eve shakes her head and continues "ha…ha…that is just too weird to say."

Tanner laughs. "Mansfield…seriously your last name is Mans…field…how appropriate…"

Olivia laughs and nods yes, enjoying the fact that she is still alive to share a joke with her former colleagues.

Mallory clears his throat "How are your injuries healing?"

"It was merely a flesh wound but I also received a slight concussion, nothing that some time cannot fix."

Mallory asks "What about Bond?"

Bond enters the kitchen at that moment and interjects "I'm fine…few cracked ribs nothing unusual for me…however, I am getting tired of being dumped in freezing water." He levels his best evil glare and smiles at M.

Olivia smiles sweetly at him "Then don't get in my way when I'm landing the catch of the day."

Mallory inserts himself into their apparent domestic bliss, shattering the relative peaceful atmosphere in the cottage.

The stark reality of the last week crashes around the inhabitants and the room seems to decrease in temperature regardless of the nice warm tea they're ingesting.

"Olivia, we need debriefing on the happenings of the last few days. We need to know everything that happened before we go ahead with your fake funeral and retirement."

Bond frowns and continues standing behind Olivia's chair as if protecting her from the events all over again.

Olivia looks at those gathered around the table and begins to transform back into M.

Olivia recounts the tale of Skyfall from her point of view and allowing James to add to the things she was not there to witness.

Olivia skipped the more intimate details between James and herself. The events surrounding the death of Silva she did not gloss over.

James places his hands on either side of the back of her chair gripping it fiercely. James did not like hearing of Silva's plan to assault her on the altar and then run off with her to some island.

Bond knew that Silva wanted her but did not extrapolate any further plans that Silva may have made in regards to M. James always expected to kill the bastard so it never really crossed his mind.

Moneypenny took notes while they spoke to make the report up on her return to London.

Mallory and Tanner sat respectfully silent during the retelling of the harrowing story.

Mallory took in James' posture and positioning behind Olivia and his heart plummeted into his stomach. Something else happened between the two of them that she has left out. The two of them have been here in this cosy cottage for two days playing house….it does not sit well with him.

Olivia's transformation seem to have stopped and she looks younger than Bond now. Her hair is growing out and is a lovely golden blonde. Olivia looks very attractive in her sweater and jeans here in the cottage. She seems to glow with the joy of living and being young again.

Malloy thinks that she has the look of a woman in love...damn. Can't she see that a relationship with Bond would be pointless. The man will either blow himself up on the job or sleep with every long-legged beauty he meets. Mallory does not want to see her get hurt...he could offer her more...love, loyalty and stability.

"James you need to accompany us back to London to continue your reconditioning training…I know that Olivia…embellished…shall we say…your former test results and we need you back up to speed to help weed out all of Mr. Silva's operation. Ms. Séverine will be working with you closely to find those involved with Silva."

Bond shot Mallory a threatening look and the tension in the room quadrupled.

Olivia sensing the change took control of the situation. "This is a bit sudden…M…James still needs to heal from the events I just described."

"Bond will be under close medical supervision and be working research with Q and Ms. Séverine before being cleared for the field. I have the utmost confidence that he will heal and train quickly considering that any allies of Silva may pose a large threat to…_England…_and all we hold dear."

Olivia speaks up before James has a chance to tell Mallory to go f#*k himself.

"Of course…your right…James will return with you now and I will come with all of you. I am going to have to meet with my children and settle what is to be done with my flat. I assume that the fact that I survived the events of Skyfall are to be kept between us and my death certificate is official."

Tanner speaks up at this point as he has worked on a way to make sure M…Olivia gets her pension and that her alias name Emma Smith was given a paper trail to place it as M's official death name.

"Q and I have taken care of it M…sorry Olivia. Emma Smith died at Skyfall, she was an agent and a leader that will be greatly missed. I contacted your children and they will come to your home in London to clear out your things. You should wear a disguise while in London for a time, however, considering what Q did to you all you should have to do is get a wig or dye your hair."

James had remained silently seething while all his plans were laid to ruin in a few short minutes over a civilized cup of tea. James has been very reserved in his courtship of M…Olivia. They shared nothing more than a few hugs and a kiss in the car. Their wounds needed time to heal and he is patiently….for him anyway…waiting…ask her to marry him and to finally make love to her.

Now Malloy walks in here and destroys everything…he's a smart bastard that's certain. Telling M that he will have to work with the woman he seduced to find Silva…likely knowing that any relationship they do have could be sabotaged. There is a delicate relationship developing between him and Olivia…Mallory is trying to stop it from becoming more…

"Damn it! Could we at least stay until the end of the week before getting tossed back into the coliseum for the lions to eat us!"

The entire table looked up at James in shock. Mallory could barely contain the hint of a grin on his face.

Bond had not sealed the deal with Olivia yet…he all but said… _I've not had a chance to get her in bed yet! _Bond's outburst was valid but Mallory did need to move forward in this as it was a request from the PM's office.

"The Prime Minister believes, and I agree with him that we have to strike while the iron is hot when it comes to possible terrorist cells."

Olivia nods in agreement. "I think it will be for the best but we must stay until Kincade returns to give him proper thanks…also what can be done about James' estate? I think some monetary compensation may be necessary from insurance companies at any rate. M can you make sure that Kincade is also compensated as he did lose his dogs to protect us."

"I will have Tanner begin working on it as soon as we land in London. When will Mr. Kincade return?"

The door opens at that moment to reveal a surprised Kincade with a few bags of groceries.

"I was wondering who that car belonged to…welcome to Scotland…friends of yours James…lassie?"

Olivia stands up and starts to clear the table so that Kincade can place his bags somewhere.

"Yes, Mr. Kincade and it looks like you will be getting rid of us sooner that expected."

"Oh…now that is a shame…I was going to make something nice for dinner."

Kincade notices the tense set of James' shoulders and nods at the boy in understanding, this was definitely not his idea.

Bond and Olivia go to gather their meager belongings and say their goodbyes to Kincade. Olivia makes him promise to come visit them in London.

The five of them climb into the vehicle and head to the private jet waiting to take them back to London.


	24. Chapter 24

The press ran with the story of the terrorist attacks and murder of the head of MI6.

_Emma Smith, the head of a SIS agency was killed in Scotland last week by the terrorist, Raoul Silva. Silva is the head of the organization that is responsible for bowing up Vauxhall Cross and last weeks attacks in London._ _Emma Smith was 76 years of age and due to retire later this month. Details are being protected under the official secrets act but a picture of Ms. Smith was found in our archives._

Tanner and Q had placed the stock photo in their archive along with an official biography with obvious omissions.

The plane was due to arrive in London by 19:00.

Tanner felt the level of temperature in the plane drop when Bond and M were in eyesight of each other.

Eve Moneypenny was the only one that attempted lively conversation to lighten the mood. Eve is very perceptive and Tanner is glad she is here for a diversion. He, himself had never been very good at such things.

Tanner and Eve both understood that Mallory…M now…was more than just a little attracted to his predecessor….M….Olivia. Olivia seemed more than a little closer to Bond now after the Skyfall incident and Tanner has to wonder if Bond managed to seduce her while they were on the run.

Tanner leaned over and whispered such to Moneypenny and she shook her head. "Not yet…I don't think so…Bond would act smug towards Mallory…M if they had slept together…I think we interrupted his chances while in Scotland."

Tanner cringed "This could be very bad for all of us."

Eve chuckled "Who's team are you on? Team Bond or team M?"

Tanner looked at her and whispered "I have only ever been on one team and that is team Olivia. Let her choose one or neither…she may end up with someone else entirely."

"Well..well Mr. Tanner, are you throwing your hat into the ring?"

Tanner blushes and fidgets with his tie. Of course he is attracted to Olivia and to Eve, they are both very intriguing women.

Bond sat beside Olivia and watched Tanner and Eve whispering to each other. They were trying to figure out who would get the girl…he was not always sure himself. Everything is up to Olivia now. James has made his position on the matter as clear as possible...he loves her...deeply.

Olivia had given only minor signs of interest in James since leaving hospital. Olivia is taking it slow on the doctor's orders and Bond is worried that she may be backing away…scared…after the emotional turmoil of Skyfall.

It could have something to do with his thinly veiled jealousy of Mallory and any other man who came near her.

James is making an effort not to act jealous but it's hard...James is simply desperate for her... to make love to her for the first time...to marry her...his life will not be worth living without her beside him.

Bond will have to arrange to sneak off to see her in London. Mallory is sure to keep him very busy and away from her…the smarmy bastard.

Mallory moves into the seating area from the front cabin.

"While we are all here there are logistics that need to be addressed concerning living arrangements. Olivia there is a secured location set up for you as you cannot go back you your own home yet. I think it best if your children, appear to sell your current flat and you move into another."

Olivia speaks up. "I agree. Bond does not have a place to live and I think he should stay at my flat and look after the security of my children when they arrive."

Tanner adds. "Judi is expected tomorrow sometime and Ryan will be another day or so."

M nods in agreement. "That sounds like a good idea. Tanner and Eve can drive him to your place and then Eve can gather some supplies for you and bring them to where you will be staying."

Bond pipes up. "Where is she going to be staying…Mal….Sir.?"

M frowns. "That will have to stay quiet for a time…until we can gauge the extent of Silva's network. The faster we kill the weeds the faster Olivia can get on with a normal life."

Olivia is not oblivious to the power plays swirling around her. Bond is furious with Mallory, who is attempting to limit Bonds exposure to her. It would seem like an evil plot if it was not so logical, and endorsed by the PM.

"What about MI6? I can't go there when everyone thinks I'm dead now and they know about the physical transformation. I have doubts that the reports of my death will be taken seriously by the rest of the staff."

M shakes his head in the negative. "No. We do not know if we have any leaks so it is better to keep you hidden for a while. If we can find you a good enough disguise then we can sneak you into medical or to see Q if the need arrises. We will all have to brush up on our acting skills to appear in morning for your loss. On a more macabre note we have a body that we are using as your duplicate. The official funeral is in two days."

Bond shakes his head. "I cannot see this working…she will have to be seen by medical and there is no way in hell she is just going to sit in some house and suddenly take up knitting!"

Olivia smiles at him. "I can be a patient for a time believe it or not. I will be occupied with my children and finding a new house. I would like to be kept updated on the progress of the investigation if possible M."

"Only because it pertains to you personally Olivia. I don't think that you will miss the mundane aspects of the job that much that I need to discuss budget allocation with you."

Olivia laughs. "No. I don't want to hear about those but I would like to know about status of the agents. I would hate to not know if anything happened to one of my agents."

M realizes that Olivia has one particular agent she wants to know about but lets it go. "Any other concerns?"

Bond speaks up. "We need new phones to stay in contact."

M looks at Tanner. "Have Q get two ready for them. Bond you can pick yours up tomorrow and I will get one to Olivia."

Bond is staring intently at Olivia wondering how long it will be before he gets to see her again. Bond refrains from grabbing her hand and caressing it while the witnesses are all here. It will make Olivia uncomfortable.

Olivia can tell that Bond is irate about not getting to stay with or see each other for at least a day.

They land and all get up to leave the jet but Bond pulls Olivia's arm holding her back while Mallory exits first followed by Tanner. Eve looks back at the two of them and winks, then ducks out the door, staying hidden on the top step to overhear their conversation.

Bond pulls Olivia into a hug. "He is trying to keep us apart."

Olivia pulls back. "Don't be ridiculous James. It will only be for a day. I hope to get over to see my daughter and you will be staying with her….Oh and I do not want you messing around with my daughter...understand?"

Bond smiles at her. "Does she look as good as you?"

Olivia smacks his arm. "I will kill you if you look at her wrong BOND!"

"Now who is the jealous one…OLIVIA." The two of them dissolve into laughter. Bond pulls her into a deep kiss wishing they could freeze time for a while.

One car is waiting for Tanner and Eve to take Bond and a car with a driver for M and Olivia. M looks back up at the plane noticing that Bond and Olivia have not exited yet and Eve is standing on the top step.

"COMING? EVE…OLIVIA!"

Eve is startled and peeks back in to see the couple locked in a passionate embrace. "You two better cool off and get out here before he comes back looking for you."

Olivia breaks away from James, panting and blushes at being caught in such a public display.

Bond just shoots her a scowl. "Let him…I cannot hide how I feel about this woman…life is too short."

Olivia reaches for his hand and smiles at him.

Bond's heart soars when he sees the arousal in Olivia's eyes and her beautiful flushed face. It will have to sustain him for a while, if M has his way.

Bond has this sudden urge to slam the plane door shut and have the pilot take them to Jamaica so they can roll around on the beach for the next month.

Moneypenny sighed and holds her hand up to her heart…seeing how deeply Bond and Olivia react to each other makes her feel all romantically mushy inside…if only she had someone look at her the way Bond looks at Olivia.

The three exit the plane and head over to the cars. M holds the door open for Olivia. He notices the lovely flush on her face and sees her take one last look towards Bond before getting in the car.

M turns to Bond and the others. "I will see you all by 0900 tomorrow."

M climbs in the back with Olivia and his driver pulls away. Bond cannot help but clench his fists in frustration.

Eve levels her best smirk at him. "So…Bond…how is…Olivia **feeling**?"

Bond smirks right back. "**Olivia** **feels amazing**…Eve."

Tanner blushes. "Enough you two…I for one do not want the details of anything….sexual to do with Bond and my former boss."

Eve smiles at him. "Oh come on Tanner. You want to know…Bond I think Mr. Tanner is a little sweet on Olivia also."

Tanner looks panicky. "Well…EVE! You never tell someone with a licence to kill something like that…ever!"

Bond smiles and crosses his arms. "I trust that you would never act on those feelings….right Tanner?"

"No…of coarse not…but if she ever…"

"**If** she comes on to you Tanner you have my blessing…If anything should happen to me I insist you look after Olivia just as I would. Especially if that means keeping her out of the hands of Mallory. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. Where is he taking her? Which safe house."

Eve looks at Tanner. "I don't even know. Do you Bill?"

"I never heard a thing until the flight. Do you think he will make a move on her Bond?"

"Likely, but she will shoot him down like the first time."

Eve and Bill said in unison. "First time!?"

Bond proceeds to tell them about the night before he left for China and the walk in the park the two of them took.

Tanner speaks up as they pull in front of Olivia's flat. "Mallory has it bad for her Bond. How are you going to play this? I mean he is our boss, you have to tread carefully."

"I know Tanner. I will let Olivia handle it…I have to trust that she will set him straight."

Tanner hands Bond the key to unlock the door. The three enter the flat and hear a noise from the kitchen. Instantly alert the three silently move forward.

A woman turns around and squeals. "Christ you scared the hell out of me!"

Tanner smiles and moves forward to hug the woman. "Judi you're early!"

Bond smirks at the woman who is a dark-haired version of her mother. Judi is a little taller and has the same beautiful eyes. To bad she is married...Tanner seems to know her and is quite obviously taken with her. Like mother, like daughter...they can lure men like moths to a flame.

Tanner makes the introductions and Eve goes upstairs to pack for Olivia.

Bond shakes her hand. "I have strict instructions from your mother not to lay a finger on you."

Judi laughs. "Oh really, and why would the duchess say that Mr. Bond?"

"You call your mother duchess?"

"A term Ryan and I used when she was in one of her imperialistic moods. Often she would order us around like she forgot we were not mere servants of her empire. I will put more pasta on and we can all eat."

Eve came down the stairs and said, "none for me, thanks. I have to get this to Olivia before heading home."

Tanner spoke. "I'm her ride. Judi you have my number if you need it. I will see you again soon. James will be staying with you for the duration and help with the packing…he can explain the rest."

"So Mr. Bond you didn't answer my question. Why is my mother protecting my virtue at this late stage of the game?"

Tanner and Eve smirk at Judi awaiting the answer also.

"Because Judi, your mother knows that you look like her and I cannot be trusted to keep my hands off her so…"

Judi smiles shyly. "I find it hard to believe that you are attracted to middle aged married women Mr. Bond"

Eve laughs out loud and Tanner turns a deeper shade of red.

Eve looks at Bond and fuels the fire. "Your glorious track record of seductions of women of all ages, has something to do with Olivia's concern, Bond."

"Eve darling you broke that track record yourself on our last mission so things have already changed. I for one am totally committed and smitten by Olivia Mansfield."

Judi does not know if he is joking at first, but one look into his magnificent eyes tell her that he is. Well isn't this an interesting turn of events.

Mum has a young lover...Ryan will be less than thrilled.

Damn...mum certainly has excellent taste in men. "Goodbye, Eve and I hope to see you again soon Bill."

Bond and Eve both raise their eyebrows at Judi's use of Tanners first name.


	25. Chapter 25

Eve and Tanner leave with Olivia's bags and get into the car.

"I do hope Bond behaves himself with Judi."

"Tanner! Bond would never seduce the daughter of the woman he loves. Bond is far to gone where Olivia's concerned. I'm surprised he didn't insist on staying with her regardless of M's plans. Oh, I just got a text from M and I am to give his driver the bags at my flat ASAP."

Tanner looked at her. "You don't think he is trying to keep her hidden from us do you?"

"I will ask him where she is tomorrow. I have a feeling that it's going to be a crazy day tomorrow. Bond's back and Olivia's in hiding and her children meeting Bond. I would love to be a fly on the wall in that house for the next few days."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Malloy and Olivia drive through the city. "Which safe house are we going to Mallory…sorry…M?

"I insist you call me Gareth as you did before you left for China. I am not taking you to a safe house. I am taking you to a secured location and that location happens to be my residence."

Olivia looks at him with shock on her face. "Your…house? Gareth I think that we should have a little discussion about boundaries now."

"Olivia it will only be for a few days and I have plenty of rooms. I will be at the office all day tomorrow and then I will take you to your flat to be with your children. I understand that there is something between you and Bond and while I don't agree with it I will not interfere with your life. I only want to be a friend to you if I cannot be more."

"Thank you Gareth I don't mean to be suspicions but it always seems like you're trying to keep James away from me and don't think for a moment that he hasn't noticed. You two will have to work out some trust issues for a good professional relationship to grow."

"I just want to know one thing Olivia. Do you trust him with your heart?"

"That is a valid question Gareth, and the answer is yes. This is not just a fling to James…it is far deeper. I want to give us a chance and as long as my family and friends support it…it will all work out for the best."

"I hope it all goes well for you Olivia but if you ever need anything…you know where I live."

Olivia laughs as they get out of the car and enter the house.

"I suggest you go out tomorrow and get a wig or dye your hair, hat, sunglasses, anything so you cannot be recognized by anyone. My driver will go get some Chinese food and your bag from Eve's and then you can get some rest."

Olivia goes on a tour of the house with Gareth. There is a landline for her to use for calls with all the important numbers listed on a pad of paper.

Olivia's scared and excited for her children to meet Bond and see her now. House hunting is in the plans but she has to wait to see where James wants to live. There is no reason to downsize if it is for two of them and all their things.

The driver returns with two bags and dinner. Gareth and Olivia sit down to a nice meal. They chat about the job and mundane things over a couple of glasses of wine.

Gareth can't help but feel depressed that she has fallen for another man…and his employee at that. Damn…if Bond dies on the job will she blame him for sending him?

"Olivia. On a serious note. Do you think Bond wishes to stay a 00? What if he should die in the field after I sent him…I don't want you to think I would ever deliberately send him somewhere just to get rid of him so that I can have you for myself."

"Oh...That would be dastardly villainous of you Gareth…cartoonish no less. No Gareth I understand what both your jobs entail and I know you're an honourable man. I will have to talk to James about it…we really haven't had that much time alone. To busy running from a homicidal maniac from my past remember."

M chuckles. "Well, I hope we can sort out all the Silva aftermath and have you set up in a new home as soon as possible. If and when this has all cooled down…in 6 months to a year… would you like to work as a consultant at MI6 or even MI5 for a change of scenery?"

"That might be an idea. I will think about it and let you know."

Dinner completed they wash the dishes together and then Olivia goes to have a shower and go to bed.

Gareth stays up doing work in his study, trying to focus on the work anyway. Having Olivia in the upstairs…showering has him distracted. Damn it! He really does want her badly.

Damn Bond from returning from the dead. The last month would have been very different if he had continued to slum it with one of his loose women on a beach somewhere.

Perhaps Bond will slip up and Séverine will take him to bed again. Surely Olivia will need a shoulder to cry on then.

If wishes were horses…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A sudden scream sounded from the room down the hall. M got up and ran to the room and opened the door. Olivia is thrashing and yelling "NO…NO!"

M switched on a small light in the hall he moves over to the bed Gareth shakes her gently tying to wake her. Olivia awakes to feeling someone holding her shoulders. She has no idea where she is but throws her arms around Gareth's neck, thinking that he's James.

Gareth relishes the embrace and pats her back reassuringly whispering to her that she is safe…no one could get to her now.

There are tears in her eyes and she can tell by smell of him that he's not James….she's at Gareth's house...Olivia remembers now...as the fog of the dream dissipates and clarity resumes. She stiffens and begins to pull away. Mallory is not letting go and he strokes her hair and then wipes her tear with one of his thumbs.

"Are you OK Olivia?"

"Yes..yes…thank you Gareth…I'm sorry for waking you."

"I have not had such a lovely interruption in a long time Olivia."

Olivia continues to disengage from his embrace. Gareth's suddenly pulls her into a kiss. Olivia stiffens and forcibly pulls away. "Gareth!"

M's shock at his own behaviour is apparent…he doesn't know what came over him. "I am so sorry Olivia…I just couldn't resist you…I'm…so...sorry."

"I will not stay here another minute if you can't keep your hands to yourself."

Mallory is despondent…why is he so damn uncontrolled around her.

"Of coarse...you're right...try to get some sleep Olivia. I think you may have to eventually talk to someone about your nightmares...they are quite violent...I know that this is the wrong time to say this to you but there never may be a right time. Olivia, I think I am in love with you...I know that it is not reciprocated right now...I don't think that I will ever stop waiting for you...someone like you does not come around very often. Loyalty to country, the people you work with and the skill at which you did this job for so many years...without public recognition...until your fake death. Well, I think you are the most beautiful woman I have ever had in my company...I just thought you should know."

Olivia listened quietly to his words. Her emotions fluctuating up and down from her dream and now these words from Gareth. Olivia could feel the tears dropping from her eyes.

"I am so sorry Gareth, but I love another. I don't want to cause you pain...it was never my intention. I never thought I would ever love a man again after Nigel but James has opened my eyes to a possible new future. A future that I never dreamed to have again. You are a very special man Gareth and I hope we can enjoy a friendship...please say we can try...I know it will be difficult but we all have our crosses to bear in this life."

"I will try Olivia...it will be difficult to be around you but I will try. I want you to be happy. I love to see you smile, it warms my heart."

"Thank you Gareth. All relationships face pain in one way or another...Nigel had an affair...It was just after being stationed in China. I can't really blame him...I was always at work and he had to look after the family. I suppose, that after 20 years together that he wanted something different and he honestly thought I had taken a lover at work...I didn't...I never cheated on him...Silva tried...I have never told anyone this ever. I was very tempted and almost let him kiss me once but then I knew that entanglement with him, if discovered could ruin the career that I had neglected my family for and that would shatter everything."

"I am sorry Olivia. My wife left me for another man who was around more for her...she could not see that our relationship could not just be about what I could do for her...when I was protecting the country for her...strange how they don't always see the sacrifices we make...I think that is why James and I are in love with you. We understand you and you understand us. Nigel was a very lucky man and he was obviously smart enough to understand, on some level, the importance of your work."

"Yes he did and I loved him for it...I don't think I will ever stop missing him, 45 years with a person leaves a huge hole in your heart when they go. Now you understand why I didn't want to retire...I would have nothing left at that point...I might as well have died in the attack. James has forced me to see beyond the job that defined me for 20 years and release it to you."

"We're quite a pair...aren't we? Both M's and both searching for new meaning in our lives. I am glad that you may have found your new meaning Olivia...I really am. Now let's try to get some sleep."

Olivia leans into Gareth and hugs him. She turns her face into his neck for a moment and then quickly kisses his cheek.

Gareth Mallory closes his eyes and sucks in a breath holding it for a second...wishing for a lifetime and not this fleeting moment.


End file.
